Bar Code Blocking Package Carrier With Absorbing Dyes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional container carriers fail to prevent individual container bar codes from being scanned instead of the multi-package bar code, leading to incorrect pricing and inventory control issues when containers are randomly oriented within the carrier.
Innovation Solution
A flexible carrier with specifically selected blended dyes that absorb laser light from bar code readers, combined with a fluorescing dye to maintain a neutral color and block bar code scanning, ensuring that only the multi-package bar code is read.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional transparent carriers are used to unitize containers, then the carrier maintains clarity and visibility, but individual container bar codes can be scanned instead of the multi-package bar code
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a light-absorbing dye composition to the carrier that selectively absorbs laser light wavelengths used by bar code scanners. This color change approach blocks the scanner's ability to read individual container bar codes while maintaining the carrier's visual clarity for consumers. The dye composition is specifically selected to absorb in the wavelength range of common bar code scanning lasers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the optical parameters of the carrier by incorporating dyes that absorb light in the specific wavelength range used by bar code scanners (typically 630-940 nm). This parameter change allows the carrier to selectively block scanner light while remaining visually transparent to human eyes, thereby preventing misreading of individual container bar codes.
2Reliability
If printing is applied to block bar codes on prestretched or preshrunk packaging material, then bar code blocking is achieved, but the print appearance may be distorted
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of printing on the stretched or shrunk material, the patent uses light-absorbing dyes incorporated into the carrier material itself. This eliminates the distortion problem associated with printing on pre-formed packaging, as the dye is uniformly distributed throughout the material and blocks bar code scanner light regardless of the material's dimensional changes.
3Reliability
If light-absorbing dye is added to block bar code scanning, then individual container bar codes are blocked, but the carrier color may become non-neutral
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a blended dye composition that includes both light-absorbing components for bar code blocking and color-balancing components to maintain visual neutrality. The specific combination of dyes absorbs laser wavelengths while compensating for color shifts, keeping the carrier appearance neutral to human eyes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite dye system combining multiple dye types with complementary properties. One dye component absorbs the laser wavelengths used by bar code scanners, while other dye components balance the color to maintain visual neutrality. This composite approach achieves both bar code blocking and aesthetic requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively blocks individual container bar codes while maintaining transparency and clarity, reducing light transmittance by less than 30%, ensuring accurate scanning of the multi-package information and preventing incorrect pricing.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible carrier with specifically selected blended dyes that absorb laser light from bar code readers
Implementation Method 2
combined with a fluorescing dye to maintain a neutral color
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for blocking a bar code in a package includes a carrier with a plurality of apertures. The carrier is formed with a plastic material containing an absorbing dye and a fluorescing dye so that a bar code on each container is not readable by a bar code scanner.