plastic containers

Abstract

To provide a plastic container capable of omitting attachment of another body such as a plastic film.SOLUTION: A PET bottle 1 is a plastic container which is formed of a plastic material and is recycled as the plastic material. At the PET bottle 1, a third printing region PA3 where a bar code BC is printed with soluble ink and the like so as to have a characteristic of peeling by a predetermined procedure, and a second printing region PA2 where another piece of component information or information such as a recycle mark PM is laser-marked by laser light are provided on an outer periphery.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a plastic container formed from a plastic material and recycled as the plastic material. [Background technology]

[0002] There are plastic containers made of plastic materials that are recycled as plastic materials. Plastic raw materials include, for example, synthetic resins and natural resins. A well-known example of a plastic container made from such a plastic material is a plastic bottle made from PET (polyethylene terephthalate) resin. Plastic bottles are often sold as products containing beverages such as water or tea, and in such cases, various information such as the product name and contents must generally be displayed. This information required for sales is often printed on a separate piece that can be removed from the plastic bottle when recycling. For example, a method is known for manufacturing such a plastic film on which various information is printed as a separate piece (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5327561 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Various information is generally printed with ink using inkjet printing, but impurities such as ink are undesirable for recycling PET bottles as plastic materials. For this reason, a plastic film such as that described in Patent Document 1 is attached to the PET bottle, and information necessary for sales, etc. is printed on the plastic film. However, in this case, a procedure is required to remove the plastic film when recycling.

[0005] On the other hand, laser marking is known as a printing method that does not produce impurities like ink. Laser marking is highly adaptable to recycling because no ink is added to the plastic material. However, information engraved by laser marking is often inferior to information printed with ink in various aspects, such as color variation and contrast. For example, barcodes are commonly displayed on PET bottles for sales purposes. Such barcodes must be printed with a contrast that can be read by other devices such as POS registers, but laser marking often does not achieve such a contrast. Therefore, the method of displaying information through a plastic film on PET bottles is still used.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a plastic container that does not require the attachment of a separate item such as a plastic film. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The plastic container of the present invention is a plastic container formed from a plastic material and recycled as that plastic material, and is provided on its outer periphery with an ink-printed area in which predetermined information is printed with ink so that it has the property of being peeled off using a predetermined procedure, and a laser-engraved area in which information different from the predetermined information is laser-marked using laser light. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the appearance of a plastic container according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a barcode printing technique. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a printing apparatus. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] (Plastic container) First, one embodiment of the plastic container of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. The plastic container is a container made of a plastic material. The plastic material may be appropriately made of various raw materials including resins such as synthetic resins and natural resins, and is made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) resin as an example. This type of plastic container is intended to be recycled as a plastic material. For this reason, the plastic container is configured to comply with a predetermined recycling procedure. Below, as an example, a case where the plastic container is made of a plastic material using PET resin as a raw material, that is, a case where the plastic container is configured as a so-called PET bottle, will be described.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the appearance of a plastic container according to one embodiment of the present invention. (a) of FIG. 1 shows the front side of the plastic container 1, and (b) shows the back side. A typical PET bottle is attached with a separate part (often a plastic film) that is to be separated during recycling, and various information is printed on this separate part. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, the plastic container 1 has a print area PA on its outer periphery, in place of such a separate part. The print area PA includes a first print area PA1 to a third print area PA3. Appropriate information may be printed in each print area PA, but, as an example, different information (including cases where some of the same information is printed) is printed on each print area PA. In other words, the print area PA is divided into three areas, the first print area PA1 to the third print area PA3, depending on the information to be printed.

[0011] Specifically, a plastic container 1 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a PET bottle 1) may contain various contents and may be used for various purposes. However, the example in FIG. 1 shows a plastic bottle 1 used as a container for holding beverages such as water, tea, or carbonated drinks. The PET bottle 1 is sold as a product filled with such beverages. While such a plastic bottle 1 may have any suitable shape, such as a cylindrical shape, the example in FIG. 1 shows a hexagonal prism. Furthermore, each surface (each surface forming a hexagon) formed on the outer periphery so as to extend along the axis of the plastic container (the vertical direction in the example in FIG. 1) may also be formed as appropriate. For example, it may be formed as a flat surface, but in the example in FIG. 1, it is formed as a gently curved surface that is concave inward. The first to third print areas PA1 to PA3 may be formed as appropriate on the outer periphery of such a plastic bottle 1. However, in the example in FIG. 1, the first to third print areas PA1 to PA3 are formed as separate, distinct areas on each of the six outer periphery surfaces so that they do not overlap (do not overlap).

[0012] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1(a), the first printing area PA1 is formed on the surface located on the front side. Appropriate information can be printed in the first printing area PA1, but in the example of FIG. 1, the information "Product A" is printed. "Product A" is information indicating the product name. In other words, the PET bottle 1 is sold as a product after being filled with a beverage, and the product name of that product is printed as predetermined information in the first printing area PA1. The front side of the PET bottle 1 may be identified as appropriate, but as an example, the side on which the product name is printed is determined to be the front side. In other words, the first printing area PA1 may be formed on any outer peripheral surface of the PET bottle 1, and the surface on which the first printing area PA1 is formed functions as the front side.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1B, the second printing area PA2 is formed on the outer peripheral surface located on the back side. The outer peripheral surface on which the second printing area PA2 is printed may be set as appropriate, and may be set independently of the first printing area PA1. In the example of FIG. 1, the second printing area PA2 is formed on the outer peripheral surface (back side) directly opposite the first printing area PA1. Appropriate information may be printed in the second printing area PA2, similar to the first printing area PA1. In the example of FIG. 1, content-related information is printed as information about the contents (the liquid contained in the PET bottle 1). The content-related information may include appropriate information according to laws and regulations, the intended use of the product, etc., and includes ingredient information as an example. The ingredient information is information indicating the ingredients of the contents. In addition to ingredient information, the content-related information may also include various information according to laws and regulations, such as the product sales representative, contact information, and various precautions regarding the contents. In addition to content-related information, various other information may be printed in the second printing area PA2 as appropriate, for example, information about the material of the PET bottle 1 (e.g., plastic) or information indicating recyclable materials, and in the example of Figure 1, a recycling mark RM is printed as an example of information indicating recyclable materials.

[0014] Like the second printing area PA2, the third printing area PA3 may be formed on an appropriate outer peripheral surface, or may be formed independently of the second printing area PA2 (and thus the first printing area PA1). In the example of FIG. 1, however, the third printing area PA3 is formed on the outer peripheral surface immediately to the left of the second printing area PA2 when viewed from the back. Like the second printing area PA2, appropriate information may be printed in the third printing area PA3, but in the example of FIG. 1, a barcode BC is printed. The barcode BC is a well-known type of code generated in accordance with a predetermined standard to include appropriate sales information such as a product number. Appropriate sales-related information related to the sale (use) of the PET bottle 1 as a product, such as a product number, is printed in the third printing area PA3; the barcode BC is an example of such information. In addition to the barcode BC, appropriate sales-related information related to sales, such as a product number, may also be printed in the third printing area PA3; however, this information is not shown in the figures.

[0015] When the PET bottle 1 is disposed of as waste after use, it is recycled as plastic material. For this reason, the PET bottle 1 is configured to comply with predetermined recycling procedures, and the same applies to the printed area PA. For example, in typical recycling procedures, the ink used to print various information is considered an impurity. For this reason, printing on the outer surface (forming the printed area PA) is achieved by using a method that uses something other than ink to print various information, or by a method that allows the ink to be peeled from the outer periphery of the PET bottle 1. Various methods may be used as appropriate for this purpose, but laser marking is one example of a method that uses something other than ink. Laser marking is a method of marking (printing) by irradiating a laser and engraving.

[0016] On the other hand, the ink peelable technique is a type of ink printing that uses ink. The ink peelable technique can be implemented in any suitable manner, but examples include a technique that uses ink that has the property of being dissolved (peeled off) by a specific solvent (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a soluble ink) (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as an ink peeling technique), and a technique that performs ink printing on a soluble layer that has the property of being peeled off by a specific solvent (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a layer peeling technique). Such ink printing can be implemented by various methods, for example, by stamping specific information with ink, but one example is inkjet printing that ejects ink. The ink peeling technique and layer peeling technique will be described in more detail below.

[0017] Each printing area PA is formed by selectively using laser marking, which prints by irradiating a laser and engraving, and ink printing, which uses ink. Laser marking and inkjet printing may be used appropriately and may be applied to the first printing area PA1 to the third printing area PA3 as appropriate, but as an example, laser marking is applied to the second printing area PA2, and inkjet printing is applied to the first printing area PA1 and the third printing area PA3. In other words, the second printing area PA2 is formed by laser marking, and the first printing area PA1 and the third printing area PA3 are formed by inkjet printing.

[0018] As described above, the barcode BC is printed in the third print area PA3. The barcode BC is read by a specified device such as a POS register when the PET bottle 1 is sold as a product, and a certain level of contrast is required for this reading. To achieve this contrast, inkjet printing is used to print the third print area PA3 (the barcode BC, etc.). Furthermore, the barcode BC in the third print area PA3 may be printed with ink of any suitable color or may be printed with ink of multiple colors. In the example of FIG. 1, however, it is printed with ink of a single color (which may be any suitable color, but white is used as an example). In this example, the barcode BC printed in the third print area PA3 functions as the specified information and functionality information of the present invention. Furthermore, reading it with a specified device functions as the specified application of the present invention.

[0019] Similarly, the product name in the first printing area PA1 is also printed by inkjet printing. The product name is primarily intended to be viewed by the purchaser. While not as high a contrast as the barcode BC, it is preferable for it to be easily visible to the purchaser, and a display that is as conspicuous as possible is desirable. For this reason, the product name may be printed by laser marking, but in the example of Figure 1, it is printed by inkjet printing with a higher contrast than laser marking. Furthermore, like the third printing area PA3, the first printing area PA1 may be printed using a single color or multiple colors of ink, or may be printed using ink of a different color from the third printing area PA3. However, as an example, the first printing area PA1 is printed in the same single color as the third printing area PA3. In other words, the first printing area PA1 and the third printing area PA3 are formed using the same single color of ink. In this example, the first printing area PA1 and the third printing area PA3 function as the ink-printed areas of the present invention. More specifically, the first printing area PA1 and the third printing area PA3 function as the second-ink-printed area and the first-ink-printed area, respectively. Moreover, the product name information in the first print area PA1 functions as the other information and second additional information (additional information) of the present invention.

[0020] Furthermore, the content-related information in the second printing area PA2, like the product name, is displayed primarily to be seen by the purchaser. Therefore, the contrast required for displaying this information is generally lower than that of the barcode BC (reading the barcode BC). However, it does not need to be as prominent as the product name. Therefore, it may be printed with a lower contrast than the product name, and as a result, laser marking is used for printing the second printing area PA2. For example, in the PET bottle 1, laser marking and inkjet printing are used depending on the contrast required for the intended use of the printed information. In this example, the second printing area PA2 functions as the laser engraving area of ​​the present invention. Furthermore, the content-related information printed in the second printing area PA2 functions as the other information and first additional information (additional information) of the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an ink peeling method and a layer peeling method as examples of printing methods for the barcode BC (third printing area PA3). As an example, the barcode BC is printed in the third printing area PA3 so that it has the property of being peeled off from the PET bottle 1 using these methods. The example in FIG. 2 shows an enlarged schematic view of the third printing area PA3. Also, FIG. 2(a) shows the third printing area PA3 when the ink peeling method is applied, and FIG. 2(b) shows the third printing area PA3 when the layer peeling method is applied.

[0022] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2(a), in the ink peeling method, a barcode BC is printed directly onto the outer periphery of a PET bottle 1 using soluble ink ejected by inkjet printing. Soluble ink has the property of being peeled off by a predetermined solvent. Therefore, it is peeled off from the PET bottle 1 through a recycling procedure (predetermined procedure) that uses the soluble ink. In other words, the barcode BC is printed in the third printing area PA3 so that it has the property of being peeled off by the properties of the soluble ink. Furthermore, the recycling procedure is configured as a procedure in which the soluble ink (barcode BC) itself is peeled off from the outer periphery of the PET bottle 1 using a predetermined solvent.

[0023] Various types of ink may be used as the soluble ink, such as UV-curable ink that can be removed with a specific release agent, but in the example of Fig. 2, an aqueous ink using water as the main solvent or a non-aqueous (oil-based) ink using an organic solvent as the main solvent is used. Similarly, when an aqueous ink is used, an inorganic solvent such as water is used as the specific solvent, and when an oil-based ink is used, an organic solvent such as ethanol is used.

[0024] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2(b), in the layer peeling method, a base layer BL is provided in the third printing area PA3, and a barcode BC is printed on the base layer BL. The base layer BL may be formed as a single layer or multiple layers depending on printing (or material) requirements, but it includes a dissolvable layer. The dissolvable layer has the property of peeling off from the PET bottle 1 through a recycling procedure (predetermined procedure) using a predetermined factor. Even when the base layer BL includes multiple layers, the dissolvable layer functions as a primer layer and is formed so as to contact the outer periphery of the PET bottle 1. The dissolvable layer (primer layer) may be appropriately configured, for example, from a component that has the property of peeling off when stimulated by a predetermined factor such as heat or light. One example is formed from a soluble ink such as an oil-based ink. As described above, soluble ink has the property of peeling off when exposed to a predetermined solvent, and therefore the base layer BL (dissolvable layer) is peeled off along with the barcode BC during the recycling procedure using the predetermined solvent. In other words, the barcode BC is printed on the base layer BL so as to have the property of peeling off along with the dissolvable layer when the dissolvable layer is peeled off.

[0025] The barcode BC may be printed on the base layer BL using any suitable ink, such as a soluble ink such as an oil-based ink, or a type of ink that is not intended to be peeled off (e.g., an ink that does not easily peel off). For example, the barcode BC is printed using UV-curable ink. UV-curable ink is a type of ink that hardens when exposed to UV (ultraviolet) rays. UV-curable ink can be removed using a specific release agent, but as an example, as described above, it is removed along with the base layer BL when the base layer BL is peeled off.

[0026] (Printing device) Next, referring to FIG. 3, one embodiment of a printing device (printing method) for forming the printing area PA will be described. The PET bottle 1 includes a printing area PA on which various information is printed. Therefore, the printing device also functions as a device for manufacturing the PET bottle 1 as a container with the printing area PA formed therein (with various information printed thereon). FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a printing device for forming the printing area PA. Such a printing device is often incorporated into a manufacturing device for manufacturing the PET bottle 1 as a commercial product. The manufacturing device may be appropriately equipped with various devices necessary for manufacturing, such as various conveying means such as a conveyor, or various power sources for operating the conveying means, etc. The example in FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of the portion of such a manufacturing device that functions as a printing device. The example in FIG. 3 also shows a top view of such a printing device.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 3, the printing device 10 is provided with a conveying line CL, a laser marking device 11, an inkjet printing device 12, an inspection device 13, and an apparatus control unit 14. The conveying line CL is configured as a path for conveying plain plastic containers (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as plain PET bottles BP) before various information is printed on them. The plain PET bottles BP are conveyed by a conveying means (e.g., a conveyor belt) (not shown) so that they move sequentially from left to right along the conveying line CL. The conveying line CL is also formed downstream of the printing device 10 as part of the manufacturing equipment, but the plain PET bottles BP change into PET bottles 1 after passing through the printing device 10. For this reason, PET bottles 1 are conveyed on the conveying line CL downstream of the printing device 10.

[0028] The laser marking device 11, inkjet printing device 12, and inspection device 13 are provided on the conveying line CL in this order along the conveying direction. The laser marking device 11 is a well-known printing device that performs laser marking. The laser marking device 11 is provided with a control unit CU1. The control unit CU1 is configured as a computer unit including a microprocessor and internal storage devices required for its operation, and performs various processes related to the laser marking performed by the laser marking device 11. The laser marking device 11 may be provided with various types of hardware as appropriate, such as a storage unit that stores a printing program as an external storage device for the control unit CU1, and an input device such as a touch panel, but these are not shown in the figure.

[0029] The inkjet printing apparatus 12 is a well-known printing apparatus that performs inkjet printing. The inkjet printing apparatus 12 is provided with a control unit CUi. The control unit CUi is configured as a computer unit including a microprocessor and an internal storage device required for its operation, and executes various processes related to the inkjet printing performed by the inkjet printing apparatus 12. The inkjet printing apparatus 12 may also be appropriately provided with various hardware components, such as a storage unit that stores printing programs as an external storage device for the control unit CUi, an input device such as a touch panel, and ink heads that eject ink. Furthermore, if a layer peeling method is used, for example, the ink heads include an ink head for a primer layer (dissolving layer) and an ink head for a coating color. However, these components are not shown in the drawings.

[0030] The inspection device 13 is a well-known device for inspecting the printing status of the printing area PA (printing results of the laser marking device 11, etc.). The inspection device 13 may be provided with its own control unit for controlling various operations, but as an example, it is connected to the device control unit 14 and controlled by the device control unit 14 to perform various inspections. The device control unit 14 is configured as a computer unit including a microprocessor and internal storage devices required for its operation, and performs appropriate processing for controlling the operation of various devices. Devices connected to the device control unit 14 include the inspection device 13, the laser marking device 11, and the inkjet printing device 12. Specifically, the device control unit 14 is connected to the control unit CUL of the laser marking device 11 and the control unit CUi of the inkjet printing device 12, and controls the laser marking device 11 and the inkjet printing device 12 via the control units CUL and CUi.

[0031] Note that various hardware such as a storage unit that stores a printing program as an external storage device for the control unit CUi, or an input device such as a touch panel, may be appropriately connected to the device control unit 14. For example, when the layer peeling method is applied, a UV curing device is provided in the printing device 10 downstream of the inkjet printing device 12 on the conveying line CL (for example, after the inspection device 13). In this case, the UV curing device is included in the hardware connected to the device control unit 14, and various processes are executed to control the UV curing device so that the UV curing device performs an operation of curing the UV ink.

[0032] As described above, in this embodiment, ink-printed areas such as the first print area PA1 and the third print area PA3, and a laser-engraved area such as the second print area PA2 are provided on the outer periphery of the plastic bottle 1. Therefore, the ink-printed area and the laser-engraved area can be used selectively depending on the purpose of the information (the printing accuracy required for the information).

[0033] On the other hand, the barcode BC and other information in the third print area PA3 are printed in the ink print area so that they can be peeled off using a predetermined recycling procedure. Specifically, for example, the barcode BC is printed on the outer periphery using a peelable method such as an ink peeling method or a layer peeling method. Therefore, the information in the third print area PA3, such as the barcode BC, can be peeled off using a predetermined procedure. This allows the information, such as the barcode BC, i.e., the ink that displays it, to be removed, thereby improving recyclability. As a result, the attachment of a separate item such as a plastic film can be omitted. This improves recyclability compared to when such a separate item is attached.

[0034] Furthermore, a certain contrast of the barcode BC is achieved through ink printing. In other words, the barcode BC can be read by other devices such as POS registers due to the contrast difference while maintaining recyclability. This allows for proper display of the barcode BC. On the other hand, ingredient information, etc., which does not require as much contrast as the barcode BC, is printed by laser marking. In other words, ink printing and laser marking are used to print information depending on the contrast (one of the printing accuracy factors) required for the information. This allows for both high printing accuracy of information according to the application and improved recyclability.

[0035] Furthermore, by including both ink printing and laser marking, the amount of ink used can be reduced compared to when all of the various information is printed separately in ink. As a result, printing costs can be reduced. In particular, when ink printing is achieved in a single color, printing costs can be reduced even more than when multiple colors are used.

[0036] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and may be embodied in an appropriate modified or altered form. Furthermore, the present invention may be embodied in an appropriate combination of various technical means included in the above-described embodiment and the following modified embodiment. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the PET bottle 1 is manufactured by a printing device 10 incorporated into a manufacturing device. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. For example, the printing device 10 may be configured as an independent device separate from the manufacturing device.

[0037] Similarly, in the above-described embodiment, the printing device 10 includes both the laser marking device 11 and the inkjet printing device 12. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the PET bottle 1 may be manufactured using two separate devices: a laser marking device and an inkjet printing device. Specifically, the second printing area PA2 may be formed by a laser marking device, and the first printing area PA1 and the third printing area PA3 may then be formed separately by an inkjet printing device. The first printing area PA1 and the third printing area PA3 may also be formed separately by separate inkjet printing processes. Furthermore, the laser marking device and the inkjet printing device may be managed by different manufacturers. In other words, the formation of the second printing area PA2 (the execution of laser marking) and the formation of the third printing area PA3, etc. (the execution of ink printing) may be performed by different manufacturers (entities).

[0038] In the above-described embodiment, the printing area PA (ink printing area or laser engraving area) is formed on a PET bottle (plastic container) 1. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. The formation of the printing area PA is not limited to containers, but may be applied to objects made of various plastic materials. Furthermore, the formation of the printing area PA is not limited to objects made of plastic materials, but may be applied to objects made of various materials intended for recycling, such as glass materials such as glass bottles, or metal materials such as cans.

[0039] In the above-described embodiment, ink printing and laser marking are selectively used depending on the contrast required for the information in order to reduce ink usage (enhancing recyclability). However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. Ink printing and laser marking may be selectively used based on various criteria, such as cost, visual effect, or convenience in terms of distribution. On the other hand, various information may be formed solely by ink printing, for example, to improve the recyclability of the ink (such as by using ink with high recyclability or applying recycling procedures that facilitate ink removal) or in response to changes in recycling standards regarding the presence of materials other than ink. In other words, laser marking may be omitted, and all information, including ingredient information, may be printed by ink printing. In this case, the laser marking device 11 of the printing device 10 may be omitted, and all information may be printed, for example, by an inkjet printing device 12.

[0040] Various aspects of the present invention derived from the above-described embodiments and modifications will be described below. In the following description, corresponding components shown in the accompanying drawings will be written in parentheses to facilitate understanding of each aspect of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the illustrated forms.

[0041] The plastic container of the present invention is a plastic container (1) formed from a plastic material and recycled as that plastic material, and has an ink-printed area (PA1, PA3) on its outer periphery in which predetermined information is printed with ink so that the container has the property of peeling off in a predetermined procedure, and a laser-engraved area (PA2) in which information different from the predetermined information is laser-marked with laser light.

[0042] According to the present invention, an ink-printed area and a laser-engraved area are provided on the outer periphery of a plastic container. Therefore, the ink-printed area and the laser-engraved area can be selectively used depending on the purpose of the information (the printing accuracy required for the information). Meanwhile, the predetermined information is printed on the ink-printed area so that it can be peeled off in a predetermined procedure, and therefore, the predetermined information, i.e., the ink, can be removed in a predetermined procedure. This allows the predetermined information, i.e., the ink, to be removed, thereby improving recyclability. As a result, the attachment of a separate item such as a plastic film can be omitted. This improves recyclability compared to when such a separate item is attached. As a result, it is possible to achieve both high printing accuracy of information according to the purpose and improved recyclability. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the amount of ink used compared to when all of the various information is printed in ink on a separate item. As a result, it is possible to reduce printing costs.

[0043] The ink-printed area and the laser-engraved area may be used appropriately. For example, the ink-printed area and the laser-engraved area may be used according to the visual printing effect, such as the color variation (e.g., a striking color scheme) required for the information, or according to the contrast required for the information. Specifically, for example, in one embodiment of the plastic container of the present invention, functional information (BC) that requires a certain contrast necessary for a specific application may be printed as the specified information in the ink-printed area, and additional information (RM, etc.) that requires a lower level of contrast than the functional information may be printed as the other information in the laser-engraved area. In this case, a certain contrast of the functional information is achieved through the ink-printed area. This allows the appropriate display of functional information.

[0044] The functional information is information that requires a certain level of contrast, but may include various types of information as appropriate. For example, the functional information may include information such as characters, symbols, or pictures that require a certain level of contrast. Alternatively, the functional information may include information that requires a certain level of contrast for reading by other devices, such as barcodes or two-dimensional codes. Specifically, for example, in an embodiment in which the functional information of the present invention is printed, the functional information may include a code (BC) generated in accordance with a predetermined standard so as to include information required for the predetermined application.

[0045] Similarly, the functional information may be printed as appropriate, for example, in various color schemes depending on the application. Furthermore, the functional information may be printed in a single color or multiple colors. Specifically, for example, in a mode in which the functional information of the present invention is printed, the functional information may be printed in a single color in the ink printing area. In this case, printing costs can be reduced compared to when multiple colors are used.

[0046] The predetermined information in the ink printing area may or may not be limited to functional information. For example, only functional information may be printed in the ink printing area as the predetermined information. Alternatively, the predetermined information may include other appropriate information. For example, in an aspect of the present invention in which the functional information is printed in a single color, the additional information may include two pieces of information: first additional information (e.g., RM) printed with different contrasts, and second additional information (e.g., a product name) printed with a higher contrast than the first additional information. The first additional information may be printed in the laser engraving area as the additional information. The ink printing area may include a first ink printing area (PA3) in which the functional information is printed and a second ink printing area (PA2) in which other information is printed. The second additional information may be printed in the single color in the second ink printing area as the other information.

[0047] The peelable property of the predetermined information and the predetermined procedure for peeling it may be implemented as appropriate. For example, if the predetermined information is printed with ink having peelable properties, the property of the predetermined information may be implemented by the properties of the ink. Alternatively, if the predetermined information is printed on a layer having peelable properties and is peeled off together with the layer, the property of the predetermined information may be implemented by the properties of the layer. Similarly, the predetermined procedure may be implemented, for example, as a procedure for peeling the ink itself or as a procedure for peeling a layer. Specifically, for example, in one embodiment of the plastic container of the present invention, the ink may be a soluble ink having the property of being peeled off from the plastic material by a predetermined solvent, and the predetermined procedure may be configured as a procedure for peeling the soluble ink from the outer periphery by the predetermined solvent, and the predetermined information may be printed in the ink-printed area so as to have the property of being peelable by the property of the soluble ink. Alternatively, in one embodiment of the plastic container of the present invention, a dissolving layer (BL) having the property of peeling off from the plastic material by the specified procedure is formed in the ink printing area, and the specified information may be printed on the dissolving layer in the ink printing area so that it has the property of peeling off along with the dissolving layer when the dissolving layer is peeled off. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 1. PET bottles (plastic containers) BC barcode (prescribed information, functionality information) BL base layer (dissolving layer) RM Recycle mark (separate information, additional information) PA1 First printing area (Second ink printing area, ink printing area) PA2 Second printing area (laser engraving area) PA3 3rd printing area (1st ink printing area, ink printing area)

Claims

1. A plastic container made of a plastic material and recycled as the plastic material, The ink-printed area has predetermined information printed with ink so as to have a property of peeling off in a predetermined procedure, and the laser-engraved area has information different from the predetermined information laser-marked with a laser beam, and the ink-printed area is provided on the outer periphery of the ink-printed area. functional information that requires a certain contrast necessary for a predetermined application is printed as the predetermined information in the ink printing area; A plastic container, wherein additional information requiring a lower level of contrast than the functional information is printed as the separate information in the laser engraving area.

2. A plastic container formed from a plastic material and recycled as said plastic material, The ink-printed area has predetermined information printed with ink so as to have a property of peeling off in a predetermined procedure, and the laser-engraved area has information different from the predetermined information laser-marked with a laser beam, and the ink-printed area is provided on the outer periphery of the ink-printed area. A plastic container, wherein the ink-printed area and the laser-engraved area are provided in different ranges of the outer periphery so as not to overlap.

3. functional information that requires a certain contrast necessary for a predetermined application is printed as the predetermined information in the ink printing area; 3. The plastic container according to claim 2, wherein additional information that requires a lower level of contrast than the functionality information is printed as the separate information in the laser engraving area.

4. The plastic container according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the functionality information includes a code generated in accordance with a predetermined standard so as to include information required for the predetermined use.

5. The plastic container according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the functionality information is printed in a single color in the ink-printed area.

6. the additional information includes two pieces of information, namely, first additional information printed with different contrasts and second additional information printed with a higher contrast than the first additional information; the first additional information is printed in the laser engraving area as the additional information; the ink printing area includes a first ink printing area in which the functional information is printed and a second ink printing area in which other information is printed, The plastic container according to claim 5 , wherein the second additional information is printed in the single color in the second ink printing area as the other information.

7. The ink is a soluble ink that can be peeled off from the plastic material by a predetermined solvent, the predetermined procedure is configured as a procedure of peeling the soluble ink from the outer periphery by the predetermined solvent; The plastic container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the predetermined information is printed in the ink-printed area so that the predetermined information has the property of peeling off due to the properties of the soluble ink.

8. a dissolving layer having a property of peeling off from the plastic material by the predetermined procedure is formed in the ink-printed area; A plastic container described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the specified information is printed on the dissolving layer in the ink printing area so as to have the property of peeling off along with the dissolving layer when the dissolving layer is peeled off.

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