Containers with structural color

Abstract

The present application provides a plastic bottle. The plastic bottle includes a mouth, a base, an outer surface extending from the mouth to the base, and a structural color panel formed in the outer surface. The structural color panel includes a number of microstructures arranged in a pattern configured to produce a desired color when viewed in light.

Description

[0001]Docket No.25040-6077 Client Docket No.81384395 CONTAINERS WITH STRUCTURAL COLOR CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 492,550, filed March 28, 2023, which is incorporated by reference herein. TECHNICAL FIELD The present application and the resultant patent relate generally to label-less containers with structural color indicia thereon and more particularly relate to systems and methods for creating containers such as plastic bottles and the like with structural color indicia thereon instead of a separate label affixed thereto. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many different types of beverages and other types of consumable products are packaged in plastic bottles. Such beverages include carbonated soft drinks, waters, coffees, teas, juices, sports drinks, milk, and the like. Many of these plastic bottles are made from PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and other types of thermoplastics. A label with various types of trademarks, product information, and other types of indicia may be glued or otherwise attached to the plastic bottle in a conventional fashion. Although plastic bottles and other types of plastic bottles are recyclable, the label and the related glue generally must be removed before the bottle may be easily recycled. An environmentally sustainable solution that would retain product information and other types of indicia on the plastic bottle but without the separate label may ease the recycling process by eliminating the more difficult to recycle components. Such a solution should improve and increase overall plastic bottle recyclability while providing a unique consumer experience. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present application and the resultant patent thus provide a plastic bottle. The plastic bottle includes a mouth, a base, an outer surface extending from the mouth to the base, and a structural color panel formed in the outer surface. The structural color panel includes a number of microstructures arranged in a pattern configured to produce a desired color when viewed in light. 1 48687526.1 Docket No.25040-6077 Client Docket No.81384395 The present application and the resultant patent further may provide a method of providing a plastic bottle with a beverage to a consumer. The method includes the steps of blow molding the plastic bottle, laser etching a structural color panel into the plastic bottle, filling the plastic bottle with the beverage, making the plastic bottle with the beverage available to the consumer, and recycling the plastic bottle. These and other features and improvements of the present application and the resultant patent will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the several drawings and the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig.1 is a plan view of a known plastic beverage bottle with a label affixed thereto. Fig.2 is a plan view of a plastic beverage bottle as may be described herein with a structural color panel. Fig. 3 is a plan view of an exemplary structural color panel as may be used on the plastic beverage bottle of Fig.2. Fig.4 is a micro-scale side view of a color field of the exemplary structural color Fig.3. Fig.5 is a micro-scale side view of a logo portion of the exemplary structural color panel of Fig.3. Fig.6 is a perspective view of an exemplary laser engraving device that may be used to create the exemplary structural color panel of Fig.3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Generally described, the human eye can “see” and detect colors in the visible spectrum. Sir Isaac Newton demonstrated that color is a quality of light. Specifically, we can “see” color as wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum between about 380 and 720 nanometers. We thus see colors emitted or reflected off of an object. Traditionally, we can add color to an object by using dyes, pigments, paints, inks, and the like to change the absorbance and reflection properties of the object. Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views, Fig.1 shows an example of a traditional container 10. In this 2 48687526.1 Docket No.25040-6077 Client Docket No.81384395 example, the container 10 may be a beverage bottle 15. More specifically, a plastic bottle 20 such as a PET bottle with a volume of a fluid 25 therein. The plastic bottle 20 may have any convenient size or volume, ranging from several ounces to several liters. The plastic bottle 20 may have a mouth 30 with a cap 35 thereon, a neck 40, a label panel 45, a body 50, and a base 55. Many different configurations of plastic bottles 20 and other types of bottles and containers are known. The label panel 45 may be largely flat in configuration. The label panel 45 may have a label 60 affixed thereon. The label 60 also may be made out of PET although BOPP (Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene), PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), and other types of thermoplastics may be used. The label 60 may be affixed to the bottle 20 with a conventional adhesive 65. Likewise, the label 60 may have pigments 70 thereon of differing colors to form various types of trademarks, product information, and other types of indicia 75 of any type. As described above, the label 60 and the adhesive 65 generally must be removed before the plastic bottle 20 may be recycled. Fig. 2 shows a container 100 as may be described herein. In this example, the container 100 also may be a beverage bottle 110 and more particularly a plastic bottle 120 such as a PET bottle. The plastic bottle 120, however, may have any convenient size, shape, or configuration and may be made out of any type of convenient materials including other types of thermoplastics as well as metals, glass, laminates, and the like. The plastic bottle 120 may include the mouth 30 with the cap 35, the neck 40, the body 50, and the base 55. Instead of the label panel 45 with the label 60 thereon, the plastic bottle 120 may have a structural color panel 130 between the neck 40 and the body 50. Like the label panel 45, the structural color panel 130 may have the same flat configuration. Other components and other configurations may be used herein. The term “structural color” implies surface topographies that alter the through physical mechanisms such as interference (as in thin films), diffraction (as by a grating), refractive dispersion (as in a rainbow), differential scattering, differential polarization, and other mechanisms. In this example, a number of microstructures 140 may be engraved or otherwise applied to an outer surface 150 of the plastic bottle 110 or other container 100 in a specific pattern 160 of usually vertical lines 165. These microstructures 140 define periodic grating with periodicity on the order of the visible light wavelength. Specifically, varying a height 170 of the vertical lines 165 over a repeating length the pattern 160 of the microstructures 140 provides a color response of a 3 48687526.1 Docket No.25040-6077 Client Docket No.81384395 desired color 190. The height 170 and the length 180 may vary over a range of nanometers to produce different types of desired colors 190. For example, the height 170 may vary up to about 1500 nanometers over a repeating length of about 2000 nanometers. Any height 170 or length 180 may be used herein to produce any desired color 190 in any design, pattern, or configuration. Different types of holographic effects also may be created. By contrast, the lack of a specific pattern 160 on the surface 150 of the plastic bottle 120 may result in a white coloration 200. Preferably, the color response of the desired color 190 is angle independent, i.e., the color is the same at any angle of viewing (for example, using disordered microstructures). If not angle independent, the color response preferably remains at the desired color 190 in a specific range of angles 192 while varying through rotation or at least remains at the desired color 190 at a largely perpendicular angle 194. Any desired color 190 may be created herein. In fact, structural colors may be created that cannot be obtained through conventional absorption based methods. Varying the nature, intensity, and / or the direction of the light also may vary the color response and, hence, the resulting desired color 190. As is shown in Fig. 3, the structural color panel 130 shows a logo 210 with the white coloration 200 on a color field 220 with the desired color 190. As is shown in Fig. 4, the color field 220 has the microstructures 140 in the pattern 160 of the specific height 170 over the repeating length 180 to achieve the desired color 190, in this case a red color. As is shown in Fig.5, the logo 210 with the white coloration 200 thus lacks the pattern 160 of the microstructures 140 and instead may be laser-marked, i.e., a non-patterned area 230. Alternatively, the logo 210 also could have any desired color 190. The structural color panel 130 and the elements therein may have any desired size, shape, and configuration. As is shown in Fig. 6, the structural color panel 130 may be formed by laser engraving. An exemplary laser engraving device 240 may be made by ALLTEC Angewandte Laserlicht Technologie GmbH of Selmsdorf, Germany and sold under the FOBA Brand such as the V.0142-gr Green Marking Lasers. The laser engraving device 240 etches the pattern 160 of the microstructures 140 on to the outer surface 150 of the plastic bottle 120. Specifically, the laser engraving device 240 may rotate the plastic bottle 120 as a laser applies the pattern 160. The laser engraving device 240 may have production speeds of about 18 cm2 / sec or more. Examples of laser based engraving include direct laser writing and direct laser interference patterning techniques. 4 48687526.1 Docket No.25040-6077 Client Docket No.81384395 Other types of techniques may include the use of Focused Electron Beam or Focused Ion Beam devices. The plastic bottle 120 may be engraved before or after blow molding and the like. For example, a second blow molding step may use high pressure gas to force the material into the embossing pattern. Further, rollers and the like may be used across the structural color panel 130. Likewise, the pattern 160 also may be created in the blow molding process itself within the mold, during other types of molding processes, and via other types of manufacturing processes. Any convenient manufacturing process may be used herein. The use of the microstructures 140 in the specific patterns 160 thus creates the desired color 190 as light is scattered therethrough. The structural color panel 130 thus may have any type of logos 210, color fields 220, white colorization 200, and any other indicia in any desired configuration. The consumer may perceive this indicia at any angle, at a certain range of angles, or at least at a largely perpendicular angle. Moreover, the perceived colors may change as the plastic bottle 120 rotates and / or as the lighting changes. Such a perceived change in color and appearance may provide a new and exciting consumer experience. By replacing the traditional labels 60 and adhesives 65 with the structural color panel 130 described herein, the plastic bottles 120 and other containers 100 described herein provide an environmental sustainable solution for improved recyclability with less waste. Likewise, overall production costs may be reduced while improving bottling efficiency. It should be apparent that the foregoing relates only to certain embodiments of the present application and the resultant patent. Numerous changes and modifications may be made herein by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims and the equivalents thereof. 5 48687526.1

Claims

Docket No.25040-6077 Client Docket No.81384395 CLAIMS We claim:

1. A plastic bottle, comprising: a mouth; a base; an outer surface extending from the mouth to the base; and a structural color panel formed in the outer surface; wherein the structural color panel comprises a plurality of microstructures arranged in a pattern configured to produce a desired color when viewed in light.

2. The plastic bottle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of microstructures comprises vertical lines formed in the outer surface.

3. The plastic bottle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of microstructures comprises varying heights over a given length.

4. The plastic bottle of claim 1, wherein the plurality of microstructures comprises a height of less than about 1500 nanometers.

5. The plastic bottle of claim 1, wherein the structural color panel comprises a color field.

6. The plastic bottle of claim 5, wherein the structural color panel comprises a plurality of color fields with different desired colors.

7. The plastic bottle of claim 1, wherein the structural color panel comprises one or more non-patterned areas.

8. The plastic bottle of claim 7, wherein the one or more non-patterned areas comprise a white colorization. 6 48687526.1Docket No.25040-6077 Client Docket No.81384395 9. The plastic bottle of claim 1, wherein the structural color panel comprises one or more logos or other indica.

10. The plastic bottle of claim 1, wherein the desired color is visible at any angle.

11. The plastic bottle of claim 1, wherein the desired color is visible through a range of angles.

12. The plastic bottle of claim 1, wherein the desired color is visible at a perpendicular angle.

13. The plastic bottle of claim 1, wherein the structural color panel comprises a substantially flat configuration.

14. The plastic bottle of claim 1, wherein the plastic bottle comprises a PET material.

15. A method of providing a plastic bottle with a beverage to a consumer, comprising: blow molding the plastic bottle; laser etching a structural color panel into the plastic bottle; filling the plastic bottle with the beverage; making the plastic bottle with the beverage available to the consumer; and recycling the plastic bottle. 7 48687526.1

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