Laser printing mark on pipette and process for making laser printing mark

Abstract

A laser printed marking on a pipette, preferably a dropper pipette, of a dispensing system wherein: i) the laser printed marking is formed by laser dots forming at least one line or pattern and covers a portion of the circumference of the pipette, or even the entire circumference of the pipette; ii) the length of the pipette is from about 10 mm to about 150 mm, and the diameter of the pipette is from about 3 mm to about 20 mm. A laser printing process for making a laser printing mark on a pipette, preferably a dropper pipette, of a dispensing system, wherein the process comprises: i) obtaining a pipette made of glass, plastic or a combination thereof; ii) making a laser printed mark on the pipette using a laser, wherein the laser printed mark has a depth of about 0.01 mm to about 0.5 mm; and iii) cleaning the laser printed mark to remove the waste material.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a laser-printed marking on a pipette of a dispensing system, preferably a dropper pipette, and a process for making a laser-printed marking on a pipette. Background Art

[0002] The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.

[0003] As is well known, dropper bottles include a dropper for dispensing small amounts of liquid. Such droppers and dropper bottles are disclosed, for example, in JP2005187028A. Dropper bottles have numerical values, scales, or markings on the side of the pipette body corresponding to the number of drops of liquid to be dispensed. In the dropper bottles disclosed in JP2005187028A, the scales and numerical values ​​are printed on the outer surface of the pipette body using ink. These scales and numerical values ​​can dissolve in the liquid in the bottle, potentially causing the liquid to deteriorate. Furthermore, the scales and numerical values ​​can become blurred or disappear due to friction with the bottle neck.

[0004] JP3223051U describes a pipette with a stepped portion for scale indication. This "stepped portion" scale replaces ink printing and does not dissolve in the fluid or disappear with friction. The glass pipette itself, which forms the stepped portion, is machined to function as a scale, enabling measurement of aspirated volumes without using printing. This further prevents elution of components from the printing and loss of components from wear and tear.

[0005] Although the scale indication in JP3223051U is readable and not easily erased on the pipette, forming the stepped portion is a rather complicated process requiring annealing. Furthermore, the stepped portion is not flexible if the position of the stepped portion needs to be changed, and the process for forming the stepped portion for the scale indication on the pipette is expensive.

[0006] Various methods for marking or inscribing glass using laser radiation are known from the prior art. Hollow glass products such as bottles, flasks, and jars are typically manufactured in individual section (IS) machines. In one method, the surface of the glass product includes an automatically readable, indelible marking and identification of the IS machine section using a laser process. The laser process is performed before the glass bottles are annealed, resulting in surface temperatures of 500-580°C. This means that the microcrack structure of the laser beam could impair the material properties of glass pipettes. Furthermore, this process is only applicable to IS machine bottles with a limited surface area, for example, a square area of ​​approximately 10 mm x 10 mm.

[0007] It will be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a new and improved laser printed marking on pipettes of dispensing systems, preferably dropper pipettes, and a process for making laser printed markings as described herein which provides a cost-effective and customizable and unrestricted way to form readable and indelible markings on pipettes, and in this regard, the present invention substantially satisfies this need. Summary of the Invention

[0008] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide laser printed markings on pipettes, preferably dropper pipettes, of a dispensing system that provide readable and indelible markings on the pipettes of the dropper in a cost-effective, customizable and unlimited manner.

[0009] Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to provide a process for producing laser printed markings that provides a cost-effective, customizable, and unrestricted way to form readable and indelible markings on pipettes, preferably dropper pipettes, of a dispensing system.

[0010] According to an advantageous embodiment, the present invention relates to a laser-printed marking on a pipette, preferably a dropper pipette, of a dispensing system, wherein:

[0011] i) the laser printed marking is formed by laser dots forming at least one line or pattern and which covers a portion of the circumference of the pipette, or even the entire circumference of the pipette;

[0012] ii) The length of the pipette is from about 10 mm to about 150 mm, and the diameter of the pipette is from about 3 mm to about 20 mm.

[0013] In another aspect of the present application, the pipette of the dispensing system, preferably a dropper pipette, is transparent or translucent, wherein the pipette is preferably made of glass, plastic or a combination thereof.

[0014] In another aspect of the application, the laser spot has a diameter of at least 0.01 mm, preferably at least 0.05 mm.

[0015] In another aspect of the present application, the depth of the laser line is about 0.01 mm to about 0.5 mm, and the thickness of the wall of the pipette is about 0.3 mm to about 2.5 mm.

[0016] In another aspect of the present application, the laser print mark is applied by a laser, such as a violet diode, having a wavelength of 355 nm, an operating voltage of 220 V, a frequency of 50 Hz and a current of 10 A.

[0017] In another aspect of the present application, the laser printed marking is applied on the exterior surface of the pipette, or on the interior surface of the pipette, or between the exterior and interior surfaces of the pipette.

[0018] In another aspect of the present application, the laser printed marking includes an image, pattern, or text.

[0019] In another aspect of the present application, the laser spot forms a plurality of lines, a plurality of patterns, or a combination of one or more lines and patterns.

[0020] According to another advantageous embodiment, the present invention relates to a laser printing process for producing a laser-printed marking on a pipette, preferably a dropper pipette, of a dispensing system, the process comprising:

[0021] i) obtaining a pipette made of glass, plastic, or a combination thereof;

[0022] ii) using a laser to create a laser printed mark on the pipette, wherein the laser printed mark has a depth of about 0.01 mm to about 0.5 mm; and

[0023] iii) Cleaning of laser printed marks to remove waste material.

[0024] In another aspect of the present application, where the pipette is made of glass, the pipette is annealed prior to the laser printing process.

[0025] In another aspect of the present application, using a laser to create the laser-printed marking includes forming at least one laser line around a circumference of the pipette.

[0026] In another aspect of the present application, using a laser to make a laser-printed mark includes using a violet diode with a wavelength of 355 nm, an operating voltage of 220 V, a frequency of 50 Hz, and a current of 10 A.

[0027] In another aspect of the present application, the laser printed marking is applied on the exterior surface of the pipette, or on the interior surface of the pipette, or between the exterior and interior surfaces of the pipette.

[0028] In another aspect of the present application, the laser printed marking includes an image, pattern, or text.

[0029] In another aspect of the present application, the laser printed mark has a width of about 0.8 mm, and the length between the laser printed mark and the nozzle of the pipette is about 30 mm.

[0030] In another aspect of the present application, the laser printed mark is made of a laser spot with a diameter of at least 0.01 mm, and the laser spot can form at least one line or pattern, and it covers a part of the circumference of the pipette, or even covers the entire circumference of the pipette.

[0031] In another aspect of the present application, the laser is selected from any one of a gas laser, a solid-state laser, and a semiconductor laser.

[0032] Due to the laser printing technology according to the present application, a readable and indelible mark can be formed on the pipette in a cost-effective manner. In addition, the entire surface of the pipette can be laser printed by the laser, and thus the entire surface, not just a limited area, can be a flexible pattern area. In addition, the design of the indication position and indication can be customized by the consumer, and the pipette with the laser printed mark can be reused multiple times (e.g., 3-5 times) as a master package.

[0033] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein.It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

[0035] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a dropper assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, wherein the dropper is shown separated from the bottle;

[0036] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a dropper according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a dropper according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 4 In the top portion a perspective view of a dropper pipette according to one exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown, and in the bottom portion a cross-sectional view of a dropper pipette according to one exemplary embodiment of the present application along line AA is shown;

[0039] Figure 5 A dropper pipette according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application Figure 4 Enlarged cross-sectional views of the portions circled as B and C in FIG, wherein the flange and nozzle of the dropper pipette are shown in detail in these enlarged views; and

[0040] Figure 6 is a front view of three different eyedroppers according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, wherein various designs of patterns, images, and text are laser printed on the eyedropper pipettes. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses.

[0042] With reference now to the accompanying drawings, there will be described a new and improved dropper for withdrawing liquid products, embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral 1.

[0043] refer to Figure 1 , shows an exploded perspective view of a dropper assembly 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, wherein the dropper 1 is shown separated from the bottle 10. Figure 1 As shown in FIG, the bottle 10 includes a neck 11 and an external thread 12 formed on an outer surface of the neck 11.

[0044] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a dropper 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a dropper 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application. Figures 1 to 3 The dropper 1 according to the present application includes: a squeezable bulb 2 made of an elastomer or rubber; an inner cap 3 for fastening to the neck 11 of a bottle 10, wherein the inner cap 3 has an internal thread 31 on its inner surface; a collar 4, which is nested on the inner cap 3 without relative movement therebetween; and a dropper pipette 6 for aspirating liquid product from the bottle 10. In one example, the dropper pipette 6 has an elongated shape. The dropper pipette 6 includes a laser-printed mark 7 near its center and a suction nozzle 8 on one end. The bulb 2 includes a recess 21 at its base portion for receiving one end of the dropper pipette 6, as will be explained below.

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown in FIG, the collar 4 is screwed onto the neck 11 of the bottle 10 by engaging the internal thread 31 of the inner cap 3 with the external thread 12 of the neck 11, thereby closing the bottle 10. When the collar 4 completely covers the bottle 10, a gap is formed between the mouthpiece 8 of the dropper 6 and the bottom of the bottle 10, so that the dropper 6 does not contact the bottom of the bottle 10. Figure 3 There is also a liner 5 formed within the inner cap 3, and when the collar 4 completely covers the bottle 10, the upper end of the neck 11 of the bottle 10 will be pressed onto the liner 5 so as to provide a seal between the bottle 10 and the dropper 1 and thus prevent the liquid product from leaking from the bottle 10.

[0046] Figure 4 In the top part a perspective view of a pipette 6 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown, and in the bottom part a cross-sectional view of the pipette 6 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application along line AA is shown.

[0047] like Figure 4As shown in , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the dropper pipette 6 is formed as a single piece. In one example, the dropper pipette 6 is transparent and is preferably made of glass. The dropper pipette 6 can also be made of other materials, such as transparent, translucent or almost transparent plastic that does not react with the liquid product in the bottle. In general, the pipette can be made of glass, plastic or a combination thereof. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the dropper pipette 6 is formed with a flange 61 on one end and a suction nozzle 8 on the other end. The dropper pipette 6 is fixed to the inner cap 3 by embedding the flange 16 into the recess 21 of the bulb 2.

[0048] Figure 5 The pipette 6 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application is Figure 4 1 and 2. Enlarged sectional views of the parts circled as B and C in FIG. 1 , wherein the flange 61 and the suction nozzle 8 are shown in detail in these enlarged views.

[0049] Continue to refer Figures 3 to 5 The nozzle 8 of the dropper pipette 6 includes: a base portion 81 having a hollow conical shape that narrows toward the front lower side; a spherical distal end portion 82; and a cylindrical coupling portion 83 that connects the distal end portion 82 to the lower end portion of the base portion 81. Figure 5 As shown in , the body of the dropper pipette 6 has a central axis S1, and the spherical distal end portion 82 has an internal flow channel 84, and the internal flow channel 84 has a central axis S2. In one example, the central axis S2 is inclined at an angle T relative to the central axis S1 of the dropper pipette 6, for example, at a 25-degree angle. Through this inclination, the distal end opening of the internal flow passage 84 is positioned to be offset from the central axis S1 of the dropper pipette 6. In addition, the spherical distal end portion 82 prevents damage to the nozzle 8 and the bottle 10 because the spherical distal end portion 82 contacts the bottle 10 smoothly with a spherical or curved surface. There is no restriction on the shape of the pipette tip. In other words, the nozzle 8 of the dropper pipette 6 can have other shapes, and the shapes in the drawings are only preferred examples.

[0050] Continue to refer Figure 4 , the dropper pipette 6 has a length L1 and an outer diameter D1 along its central axis S1. In one example, the length L1 is from about 10 mm to about 150 mm. In one example, the diameter D1 is from about 3 mm to about 20 mm. In one example, the thickness T1 of the wall of the dropper pipette is from about 0.3 mm to about 2.5 mm, wherein the wall thickness of the pipette in the figure is 1 mm. In another example, the dropper pipette 6 can have other shapes besides the cylindrical shape shown in the figure. For example, the cross-section of the dropper pipette 6 can be elliptical, polygonal, etc.

[0051] In addition, the dropper pipette 6 includes a laser-printed mark 7, and the laser-printed mark 7 has a width W1. In one example, the width W1 of the laser-printed mark 7 is from about 0.1 mm to about 39 mm, preferably about 0.8 mm. In one example, the laser-printed mark 7 has a distance L2 from the nozzle 8. In one example, the distance L2 is about 30 mm. More specifically, the laser indication position or the position of the laser-printed mark 7 can be set or customized by the consumer. In one example, the laser indication position is calculated based on the internal volume of the dropper pipette 6 and the dropper dose. In one example, the dropper dose is about 0.8 ml, and the dropper bottle 10 has a total fill volume of about 30 mL.

[0052] Preferably, the dropper pipette 6 is made of glass and annealed at a surface temperature of about 500 to 800 degrees. After annealing, the dropper pipette 6 is laser-printed by a laser. In one example, the dropper pipette 6 is applied by a laser, such as a violet diode with a wavelength of 355 nm, an operating voltage of 220 V, a frequency of 50 Hz, and a current of 10 A. The wavelength can be selected according to the material of the dropper pipette 6. Alternatively, the laser can also be a gas laser, such as a He-Ne laser, an Ar ion laser, a CO2 laser, and an excimer laser; a solid-state laser, such as a YAG laser; or a semiconductor laser, etc. For example, if the dropper pipette 6 is made of plastic, a semiconductor laser may be preferred.

[0053] In one example, laser printed markings 7 may be applied to the exterior surface of the dropper pipette 6, such as Figure 4 As shown in , either applied to the inner surface of the pipette 6 or applied between the outer surface and the inner surface of the pipette 6. The laser printed mark 7 is preferably applied to the outer surface of the pipette 6, which means lower cost, high capacity and flexibility of the laser printing process, and easier washing out of waste material. In one example, the laser printed mark 7 is applied to the inner surface of the pipette 6 so that a lens effect is produced when viewed through the body of the pipette 6. In another example, the laser printed mark 7 is applied between the outer surface and the inner surface of the pipette 6, which is feasible but requires higher energy, such as a CO2 laser beam, to produce a different aspect of the effect.

[0054] Due to the laser printing technology according to the present application, compared with traditional printing technology, laser printing marking is better in chemical resistance and safety.In addition, the entire surface of the dropper pipette 6 can be laser printed by a laser, and therefore the entire surface can be a flexible pattern area.

[0055] In one example, the laser-printed marking 7 includes at least one laser line 71 formed around the circumference of the pipette 6. By forming the laser line 71 around the entire circumference of the pipette 6, the scale of the aspirated liquid product can be confirmed even when the pipette 6 is viewed from any circumferential direction. In one example, the laser-printed marking 7 includes at least one laser line 71 formed by a laser dot, which can form a line or a pattern, and covers an area of ​​the pipette 6 from approximately 10 degrees to approximately 360 degrees, wherein the laser dot has a diameter of at least 0.01 mm. In another example, the laser dot has a diameter of at least 0.05 mm.

[0056] In one example, the laser printed mark 7 is made of a laser dot having a diameter of at least 0.01 mm, and the laser dot can form a line or a pattern. In another example, the laser dot forms multiple lines, multiple patterns, or a combination of one or more lines and patterns, for example, Figure 6 As shown in .

[0057] In one example, the laser-printed mark 7 is formed to surround or cover a portion of the circumference of the pipette 6. Preferably, the laser-printed mark 7 is formed to surround or cover 1 / 72 of the circumference of the pipette 6, or even less, as long as the formed laser-printed mark 7 can be observed with the naked eye. For example, the laser-printed mark can cover 1 / 32, 1 / 16, 1 / 8, 1 / 4, or 1 / 2 of the circumference of the pipette.

[0058] In one aspect of the present application, a laser printed marking on a pipette (preferably a dropper pipette) of a dispensing system is disclosed, wherein:

[0059] i) the laser printed mark is formed by a laser spot having a diameter of at least 0.01 mm, and the laser spot may form a line or a pattern, and the laser printed mark covers a portion of the circumference of the pipette, or even the entire circumference of the pipette;

[0060] ii) The length of the pipette is from about 10 mm to about 150 mm, and the diameter of the pipette is from about 3 mm to about 20 mm.

[0061] In one example, according to the present invention, a line or a pattern can be used for dosage indication. In another example, multiple lines can form multiple scales on the wall of a pipette. In yet another example, only lines, only patterns, or both lines and patterns can be used for indications, including but not limited to dosage indications.

[0062] Figure 6is a front view of three different droppers 6 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application, wherein various designs of patterns, images, and text are laser-printed on the dropper pipettes 6. In one example, the laser-printed markings 7 may include images, patterns, or text in addition to the laser lines 71. For example, these images, patterns, or text may provide additional information to consumers, including the manufacturing address, company logo, and brand, provide additional instructions or scales for consumers, or simply provide entertainment during consumer use.

[0063] like Figure 6 As shown on the left in FIG, an image 72 such as the Eiffel Tower may be laser printed on the body of the dropper pipette 6. As another example, Figure 6 As shown in the middle, the logo or text 73 can also be laser printed on the body of the dropper pipette 6. As another example, as shown in Figure 6 As shown on the right side of the figure, a smiley face 74 can also be laser printed on the body of the dropper pipette 6. These images, logos, or text can also be laser marked as indicators or scales, and they can enrich or increase the fun, attraction, and pleasure of the consumer. Optionally, these images, patterns, or text can provide additional information to the consumer, including the production location, company logo, and brand, provide additional instructions or scales for the consumer, or simply provide entertainment during the consumer's use.

[0064] In another aspect of the present application, a laser printed mark on a pipette of a dispensing system, in particular a pump pipette not shown in the drawings, is disclosed, wherein the laser indication position is a composite operation related to the internal volume of the pipette and the dropper dose.

[0065] In another aspect of the present application, a laser printing process is proposed for producing a laser printed mark 7 on a pipette, preferably a dropper pipette 6, of a dispensing system, wherein the process comprises:

[0066] i) obtaining a pipette 6 made of glass, plastic or a combination thereof;

[0067] ii) using a laser to make a laser printed mark 7 on the pipette 6, wherein the depth of the laser printed mark 7 is about 0.01 mm to about 0.5 mm; and

[0068] iii) Cleaning the laser printed mark 7 to remove waste material.

[0069] In one example, a laser is used to perform the laser printing process, such as a violet diode with a wavelength of 355 nm, an operating voltage of 220 V, a frequency of 50 Hz, and a current of 10 A. The wavelength can be selected according to the material of the dropper pipette 6. Alternatively, the laser can also be a gas laser such as a He-Ne laser, an Ar ion laser, a CO2 laser, and an excimer laser; a solid-state laser such as a YAG laser; or a semiconductor laser, etc.

[0070] In the present application, in order to ensure hygiene and safety, a cleaning process is performed after the laser printing process, and in this way, waste materials generated in the laser printing process will be removed by the cleaning process.

[0071] In the case where the pipette 6 is made of glass, the pipette 6 will be annealed before the laser printing process. Therefore, the annealing process is performed before the laser printing process and the cleaning process is performed after the laser printing process, thereby removing glass waste and greatly reducing the problem of glass breakage during the annealing process.

[0072] In one example, using a laser to create the laser-printed mark 7 includes forming at least one laser line 71 around the entire circumference of the pipette 6. This allows the scale of the liquid product being aspirated to be confirmed even when the pipette 6 is viewed from any circumferential direction. In another example, not shown, the laser-printed mark 7 only covers a portion of the circumference of the pipette 6. For example, the laser-printed mark 7 may cover 1 / 32, 1 / 16, 1 / 8, 1 / 4, or 1 / 2 of the pipette circumference.

[0073] In one example, the laser printed marking 7 is applied on the outer surface of the pipette 6 , or on the inner surface of the pipette 6 , or between the outer and inner surfaces of the pipette 6 .

[0074] In one example, the laser printed mark 7 has a width of about 0.8 mm, and the length between the laser printed mark 7 and the nozzle 8 of the dropper pipette 6 is about 30 mm.

[0075] In one example, in addition to the laser line, the laser printed mark 7 also includes an image, pattern or text. The image, pattern or text can provide additional information to the consumer, including the production address, company logo and brand, provide additional instructions or scales for the consumer, or simply provide fun during consumer use.

[0076] Due to the laser printing technology according to the present application, readable and indelible markings can be formed on the dropper pipette in a cost-effective manner. In addition, the entire surface of the dropper pipette can be laser printed by a laser, and thus the entire surface, not just a limited area, can be a flexible pattern area. In addition, the design of the indication position and indication can be customized by the consumer, and the dropper pipette with laser printed markings can be reused multiple times (e.g., 3-5 times) as a mother package.

[0077] Various aspects of the present disclosure have been described in detail with reference to the illustrated embodiments; however, those skilled in the art will recognize that many modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited to the precise configurations and compositions disclosed herein; any and all modifications, changes, and variations apparent from the foregoing description are within the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, the present concept expressly encompasses any and all combinations and subcombinations of the foregoing elements and features.

[0078] Reference Signs List

[0079] 1 dropper

[0080] 2 spherical objects

[0081] 3 inner caps

[0082] 4 sets of rings

[0083] 5 lining

[0084] 6-dropper pipette

[0085] 7Laser printing mark

[0086] 8 nozzles

[0087] 10 bottles

[0088] 11 Neck

[0089] 12 external thread

[0090] 21 recess

[0091] 31 internal thread

[0092] 61 flange

[0093] 71 laser lines

[0094] 72 images

[0095] 73 Logo or text

[0096] 74 Smiley Faces

[0097] 81 base part

[0098] 82 distal end portion

[0099] 83 cylindrical connection part

[0100] 84 internal flow channels

[0101] 100 dropper assembly

[0102] L1 Length of the pipette

[0103] Distance from L2 laser marking to nozzle

[0104] W1 Width of laser printed mark

[0105] D1 outer diameter of the dropper pipette

[0106] S1 The center axis of the pipette

[0107] S2 Central axis of the internal flow channel

Claims

1. A laser printed marking on a pipette of a dispensing system, preferably a dropper pipette, characterized in that: i) the laser printed marking is formed by laser dots forming at least one line or pattern and which covers a portion of the circumference of the pipette, or even the entire circumference of the pipette; ii) the length of the pipette is from about 10 mm to about 150 mm, and the diameter of the pipette is from about 3 mm to about 20 mm.

2. The laser-printable marking according to claim 1, wherein: The pipette is transparent or translucent, and the pipette is preferably made of glass, plastic or a combination thereof.

3. The laser printing mark according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The diameter of the laser spot is at least 0.01 mm, preferably at least 0.05 mm.

4. The laser-printable marking according to claim 3, wherein: The depth of the laser line is about 0.01 mm to about 0.5 mm, and the thickness of the wall of the pipette is about 0.3 mm to about 2.5 mm.

5. The laser printing mark according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The laser printed marking is applied by a laser, such as a violet diode.

6. The laser printing mark according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The laser printed marking is applied on the outer surface of the pipette, or on the inner surface of the pipette, or between the outer and inner surfaces of the pipette.

7. The laser printing mark according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The laser printed mark includes an image, a pattern or text.

8. The laser printing mark according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The laser spots form a plurality of lines, a plurality of patterns, or a combination of one or more lines and patterns.

9. A laser printing process for producing laser printed marks on a pipette of a dispensing system, preferably a dropper pipette, characterized in that The process comprises: i) obtaining a pipette made of glass, plastic, or a combination thereof; ii) using a laser to create a laser-printed mark on the pipette, wherein the laser-printed mark has a depth of about 0.01 mm to about 0.5 mm; and iii) cleaning the laser printed mark to remove waste material.

10. The laser printing process according to claim 9, wherein: In case the pipette is made of glass, the pipette is annealed prior to the laser printing process.

11. The laser printing process according to claim 9 or 10, wherein: Producing the laser-printed marking using a laser includes forming at least one laser line around the circumference of the pipette.

12. The laser printing process according to claim 9 or 10, wherein: The laser printed marking is applied on the outer surface of the pipette, or on the inner surface of the pipette, or between the outer and inner surfaces of the pipette.

13. The laser printing process according to claim 9 or 10, wherein: The laser printed mark includes an image, a pattern or text.

14. The laser printing process according to claim 9 or 10, wherein: The laser printed mark is made of laser dots having a diameter of at least 0.01 mm and forming at least one line or pattern, and the laser printed mark covers a portion of the circumference of the pipette, or even the entire circumference of the pipette.

15. The laser printing process according to claim 9 or 10, wherein: The laser is selected from any one of a gas laser, a solid-state laser and a semiconductor laser.

Images