One-Color Positive Bar Codes for Flexible Medical Solution Containers

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for printing bar codes on semi-transparent medical solution containers face challenges in aligning two-color printing processes, leading to increased production costs and technical difficulties, while maintaining compliance with FDA regulations.

Innovation Solution

A one-color printing process is employed to create a positive image bar code using light-reflecting ink, where light-reflecting ink represents dark areas defined by the symbology, and the container material absorbs light in unprinted areas, thereby simplifying the printing process and reducing costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a two-color printing process is used to print bar codes on semi-transparent medical solution containers, then the bar code readability and FDA compliance are improved, but the production cost and process complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebar code readabilityVSAvoidprinting process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies inversion by printing the light-reflective portions of the bar code directly with light-reflective ink, rather than printing the dark portions and relying on the transparent container to provide the dark areas. This reverses the conventional approach and eliminates the need for two-color printing while maintaining bar code readability and FDA compliance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the light-reflective ink printing step from the two-color printing process, utilizing the natural light-absorbing properties of the transparent container material to provide the dark areas of the bar code. This separation simplifies the printing process to a single color while maintaining the required contrast for readability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebar code readabilityVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By inverting the conventional printing approach to print only the light-reflective portions with light-reflective ink and letting the transparent container provide the dark areas, the patent reduces material costs and simplifies the printing process, thereby lowering production costs while maintaining bar code readability and FDA compliance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies self-service by utilizing the inherent light-absorbing properties of the transparent medical solution container material to provide the dark areas of the bar code without requiring additional dark ink or complex printing processes, thereby reducing production costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If a two-color printing process is used to print bar codes on semi-transparent medical solution containers, then the bar code readability is improved, but the alignment difficulty and technical challenges increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebar code readabilityVSAvoidprinting alignment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent resolves the alignment difficulty by inverting the printing approach to print only the light-reflective portions with light-reflective ink. This eliminates the need to align two separate printing passes (one for light areas, one for dark areas), thereby removing the alignment precision challenges while maintaining bar code readability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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

This approach allows for cost-effective and compliant bar code printing on flexible medical solution containers, ensuring readability and adherence to quality standards without the need for complex alignment of two-color printing steps.

Implementation Method 1

printing a linear bar code in white or light-reflecting ink

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight reflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

the unprinted areas between the light-reflecting ink comprise dark areas that are associated with light areas by the coding symbology

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentEP4073681B1Positive image bar code on flexible medical solution container

Publication Date: 2025.10.08 FENWAL INC

Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4

AI summary

Printing a code on a flexible medical solution container includes providing a flexible medical solution container which is at least partially light transmissive, storing in a memory circuit a code comprising numbers and translating the code comprising numbers using a bar code symbology, the bar code symbology defining dark areas and light areas. The method includes applying a light-reflective ink to the container based on the bar code symbology, wherein the light-reflective ink is applied in areas defined by the dark areas, and applying a light-absorbing ink to the container based on the bar code symbology, wherein the light-absorbing ink is applied in areas defined by the light areas. The applied light-reflective Ink and light-absorbing ink results in a code which represents a reversal of the dark and light areas defined in the bar code symbology.