Laser Marked Security Glass Verification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for producing toughened safety glass do not provide a reliable way to verify if the necessary temperature treatment parameters, such as duration and temperature level, have been met, making it difficult to ensure the glass shatters into safe, small pieces.

Innovation Solution

A method involving laser irradiation of a metal ion donor medium on the glass to create markings that change during heat treatment, allowing verification of the treatment's effectiveness through changes in the markings, including diffusion of metal ions into the glass and deposition on the surface, and the formation of high-contrast combustion residues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a marking is applied after heat treatment, then the glass can be identified as toughened safety glass, but it cannot verify whether the temperature treatment parameters were met

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveverification of temperature treatment complianceVSAvoidinformation about treatment parameters
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The marking is applied to the glass surface before the heat treatment process. The marking contains metal particles that will undergo predictable changes during the temperature treatment, allowing verification of treatment compliance after the process is complete. This preliminary application ensures the marking is present to record the treatment parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The marking utilizes metal particles embedded in the glass that change color or optical properties in response to the heat treatment temperature and duration. These color changes provide visual or machine-readable indicators that the glass has undergone the required temperature treatment, thereby verifying treatment compliance and preserving information about the process parameters.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

2Reliability

If a marking is applied before heat treatment, then verification of temperature treatment is possible, but the marking must withstand high temperatures and chemical changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveverification capabilityVSAvoidmarking stability during heat treatment
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The marking is composed of metal particles embedded within the glass matrix, creating a composite structure. The metal particles are selected to be chemically compatible with the glass and to undergo predictable, reversible changes during heat treatment. This composite approach allows the marking to survive the harsh heat treatment conditions while still providing verification information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The marking's physical or chemical parameters (such as color, reflectivity, or particle distribution) are designed to change in a predictable manner during heat treatment. These parameter changes are reversible or controllable, allowing the marking to withstand the heat treatment process while encoding information about the treatment parameters for later verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If manual inspection of markings is used, then verification is possible, but automation and efficiency are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveverification efficiencyVSAvoidautomation system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The marking is designed to produce distinct color changes or optical property modifications during heat treatment that can be detected by automated optical sensors or machine vision systems. This enables automatic verification of treatment compliance without manual inspection, significantly improving productivity while the standardized optical changes keep the detection system relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

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

Enables immediate recognition and verification of the temperature treatment's compliance with specified parameters, ensuring the glass meets safety standards by using machine-readable markings that change color or disappear upon correct treatment, thus ensuring the glass shatters safely.

Implementation Method 1

metal ions diffusing from the donor medium into the glass due to the heat input by the laser light

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 2

heat input by the laser light

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLaser heating: Heating

Implementation Method 3

reducing the metal ions in the glass to metal particles

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReduction: Reduction

Implementation Method 4

reducing the metal ions of the donor medium in the ambient atmosphere

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLaser irradiation reduction: Reduction

Implementation Method 5

depositing the metal particles produced in this way on the surface of the toughened glass

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDeposition: Deposition (physical)

Implementation Method 6

combustion of the donor medium or the material carrying this donor medium can also be caused, so that corresponding combustion deposits can form on the surface of the toughened glass

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Implementation Method 7

the heat treatment for the formation of single-pane safety glass can cause the color of the marking made of metal particles and/or metal ions in the volume of the single-pane glass to be changed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat treatment: Heat Treatment

Data Source

PatentEP1957422B1Method for marking single pane security glass
Publication Date: 2012.02.01 BORAIDENT GMBH
  • EP1957422B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1E

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for marking single pane security glass, produced from single pane glass by a heat treatment said single pane glass (1) being provided with at least one metal-particle- or metal-ion- containing marking, generated by laser irradiation (3) of a metal ion donor material (2) arranged on the single pane glass, said single pane glass (1) being subjected to a heat treatment to form single pane security glass (1) wherein at least one marking is altered by the heat treatment and it may be checked whether a change to at least one marking has occurred and thus the heat treatment may be verified.