Laser Marking Interior Cavity of Container Securing Means
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for marking the interior cavity of substance containers, such as inkjet marking, are costly, non-permanent, and can contaminate the container, posing health hazards and risking consumer safety due to potential tampering and misleading information.
Innovation Solution
A solid-state laser system using a semiconductor laser, a laser resonator, and a Q-switch to produce short pulse bursts with precise beam quality and frequency, applied to a securing means of a substance container, ensuring permanent and safe marking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If inkjet marker is used for marking the interior cavity of the cap, then marking cost is reduced, but the marking is not permanent and may fade with time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemical-based inkjet marking system with a laser-based marking system. The laser beam directly modifies the material surface through ablation or melting, creating permanent marks without requiring consumable ink cartridges. This substitution of marking mechanism resolves the contradiction by providing both cost-effectiveness (no ink replenishment) and permanence (laser-marked surfaces are durable and fade-resistant).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes controlled changes in laser parameters (power, pulse duration, wavelength) to achieve permanent marking through material modification. By adjusting these parameters, the laser can create durable marks that resist fading while maintaining cost efficiency. The parameter control enables the system to produce permanent markings without the ongoing costs associated with inkjet systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If inkjet marker is used for marking the interior cavity of the cap, then marking flexibility is improved, but the ink may contaminate other areas of the bottle when exposed to environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The laser marking system replaces the liquid ink delivery mechanism with a focused beam of light that deposits energy precisely on the target surface. This eliminates the risk of ink contamination entirely, as no liquid or aerosol is involved in the marking process. The laser can be precisely controlled to mark only the intended interior cavity surface without affecting other areas of the bottle.
Solution Approach 2:
The laser beam acts as an intermediary that transfers energy from the power source to the marking surface without requiring physical contact or liquid carriers. This intermediary mechanism allows for precise energy delivery to the interior cavity surface while preventing contamination of other bottle areas, resolving the contradiction between marking flexibility and contamination risk.
3Manufacturing precision
If laser beam is focused to a small spot size, then marking precision is improved, but the beam quality requirements become more stringent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs precise control of laser parameters including wavelength, pulse duration, and power to achieve the required small spot size for high-precision marking. By optimizing these parameters, the system achieves the necessary beam quality (M2 < 1.3) without excessive complexity. The parameter optimization allows the resonator and lens system to deliver the required precision while maintaining practical device design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a resonator design that replicates and refines the laser beam properties through multiple passes, effectively copying and improving beam quality. The resonator cavities and optical elements create a controlled environment where the beam is repeatedly shaped and focused, achieving the required small spot size and high beam quality without requiring overly complex external control systems.
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 solid-state laser system provides a permanent, efficient, and safe method for marking substance containers, reducing maintenance costs and preventing health hazards by ensuring accurate and durable information on the container.
Implementation Method 1
a semiconductor laser to emit a pumping laser beam
Implementation Method 2
a solid-state laser crystal doped with a rear-earth element, to produce a laser beam in response to being pumped by the pumping laser beam
Implementation Method 3
a lens to focus the laser beam to mark the securing means of the substance container having the diameter of no more than 5 cm
Implementation Method 4
a Q-switch mounted in the laser resonator to concentrate a power generated in the laser resonator into a set of short pulse bursts
Implementation Method 5
a master oscillator to generate the laser beam at a requisite laser frequency, a requisite beam quality and a requisite pulse width
Implementation Method 6
a power amplifier to amplify the laser beam
Implementation Method 7
a thermo-electric air cooler to counteract an accretion of heat generated from a set of heat-generating components in the laser resonator
Data Source
AI summary
A method, an apparatus and/or a system of laser marking of an interior cavity of a securing means of a substance container is disclosed. In one embodiment, a solid-state laser marking system to mark a securing means of a substance container includes a semiconductor laser to emit a pumping laser beam. The solid-state laser marking system also includes a resonator to create the laser beam that is then focused through a lens to mark the securing means of the substance container having a maximum diameter of 5 cm. Further, the solid-state laser marking system includes a solid-state laser crystal doped with a rare-earth element, to produce a laser beam in response to being pumped by the pumping laser beam and a laser resonator. The laser resonator is configured to focus the laser beam of a spot size of less than 150 microns and a beam quality of M2 less than 1.3.