Concealable Marking via Plasma Hydrophilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional watermarking and invisible inks face challenges in creating concealable markings that are difficult to distinguish and replicate, lacking effective methods for forming secure, anti-counterfeit marks on mediums.
Innovation Solution
A method and system using a plasma treatment process with a plasma head and stencil holder to hydrophilize specific regions of a medium, creating a concealable marking that is invisible in a dry state but visible when wet, without the need for additional chemicals or impressing processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional watermarking is used to form an identifying mark, then the mark is readily viewable, but it is difficult to distinguish one watermark from another and lacks concealability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies plasma treatment to change the surface energy parameters of the medium, creating hydrophilic regions that are invisible in dry state but become visible when wet. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by making the marking concealable yet reliably distinguishable through its unique wet-state visibility characteristic
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase transition concept by creating markings that are invisible in the dry phase and become visible in the wet phase. The plasma-treated hydrophilic regions absorb water differently, causing the marking to appear only when the medium is wetted, providing both concealability and reliable identification
2Reliability
If invisible ink is used to conceal a message, then the message is concealed and can be revealed by heat or chemical reaction, but the process requires additional chemicals or complex revelation methods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a self-revealing marking system where the plasma-treated hydrophilic regions automatically reveal the marking when the medium is wetted with water or any liquid. No additional chemicals, heat, or complex revelation devices are needed - the marking reveals itself through the natural wetting process, simplifying the revelation mechanism while maintaining concealability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses water or any liquid as an intermediary to reveal the concealed marking. The liquid acts as a mediator that interacts with the plasma-treated hydrophilic regions, causing them to absorb the liquid and become visible. This simple intermediary approach avoids complex revelation systems while maintaining effective concealability
3Reliability
If plasma treatment is applied to create hydrophilic regions for concealable marking, then the marking becomes visible upon wetting providing security verification, but the process requires precise control of plasma exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies plasma treatment in advance during the printing process to create the concealable marking. The hydrophilic regions are pre-formed on the medium before distribution, allowing for consistent and controlled creation of the security feature without requiring precise real-time control during application. The preliminary plasma treatment ensures reliable security verification capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the plasma treatment process with the existing printing process, integrating the security marking creation into the standard manufacturing workflow. By merging these processes, the patent reduces the need for separate precision control systems while maintaining the reliability of the security verification capability through consistent plasma application
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 plasma treatment method produces a high surface energy layer that makes the marking visible upon wetting, enhancing security and authenticity verification while preventing easy replication.
Implementation Method 1
A plasma is generated with the plasma head. The portion of the surface of the medium is exposed to the plasma through the at least one opening to hydrophilize the portion of the surface thereof
Implementation Method 2
The portion of the surface of the medium is exposed to the plasma through the at least one opening to hydrophilize the portion of the surface thereof to provide the concealable marking
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods relate generally to a concealable marking. In an example, obtained is a printing device having a printhead, a plasma head, a platform, and a stencil holder. The printhead is configured to print to a surface of a medium. The plasma head is configured to provide a plasma. The platform is configured to support and transport the medium. The stencil holder is configured to hold a stencil between the surface of the medium and the plasma head. A region of the surface of the medium is covered with the stencil. The stencil defines at least one opening for exposure of a portion of the region of the surface. A plasma is generated with the plasma head. The portion of the surface of the medium is exposed to the plasma through the at least one opening to hydrophilize the portion of the surface thereof to provide the concealable marking.