UV Fluorescent Imprint for Plastic Traceability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plastic products often lack suitable spaces for attaching tracking information, such as labels with product codes and brand information, without disturbing the end customer's perception, and existing methods do not provide adequate visibility or durability for such information.
Innovation Solution
A plastic product with a printing field is provided, where a digital direct printing process using UV ink or UV color is applied to create an imprint containing product codes and brand information. This imprint is only visible under UV light, ensuring it remains hidden from the end consumer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a label is attached to the plastic product for tracking information, then product traceability is improved, but the aesthetic appearance and customer perception deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The tracking information is extracted from the visible surface and integrated into the plastic product itself through invisible UV printing. The imprint is applied directly to the plastic surface during manufacturing, removing the need for separate visible labels while maintaining complete traceability through UV-readable codes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses UV-reactive ink that appears colorless or invisible under normal lighting conditions but fluoresces under UV light. This color change property allows the tracking information to be completely hidden from customers during normal use while remaining fully readable by UV scanners for traceability purposes.
2Loss of information
If visible printing is used on the plastic product, then information visibility is improved, but the durability under harsh environmental conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optical parameters of the printing ink by using UV-reactive fluorescent materials that are invisible under visible light and only become visible under UV illumination. This parameter change ensures the imprint remains completely hidden from customers while being fully readable by UV scanning devices throughout the supply chain.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional visible printing systems with UV-based fluorescent printing. Instead of using pigments that reflect visible light, the system uses fluorescent compounds that absorb UV light and emit visible fluorescence, fundamentally changing the optical detection mechanism from visible light reflection to UV fluorescence emission.
3Reliability
If UV ink is used for printing, then imprint durability and traceability are improved, but the visibility to end customer deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The UV ink used in this patent exhibits color change properties by appearing colorless or invisible under normal visible lighting conditions and only displaying the printed information when exposed to UV light. This inherent color change characteristic of fluorescent materials ensures complete hiddenness from customers during normal use while enabling full visibility through UV scanning for traceability.
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 enables discrete labeling of plastic products, allowing for complete traceability of the supply chain, while maintaining a clean appearance for the end customer. The UV-based imprint is durable and can withstand harsh environmental conditions.
Implementation Method 1
UV ink or UV color (i.e. colorless fluorescent ink/color) is used as the printing medium... Colorless fluorescent UV ink/color is only visible under UV light and is therefore generally not visible to the end consumer. UV ink is colorless under normal lighting conditions and fluoresces bluish under black light.
Data Source
AI summary
A plastic product includes a printing field, wherein an imprint is applied to the printing field by a digital direct printing process, wherein UV ink or UV color is used as the printing medium. A method for applying an imprint to a plastic product includes: (a) providing the plastic product having a plastic body and a printing field provided on the plastic body, and (b) printing a printed image by direct application of a printing agent in a digital printing process, wherein the printing agent is a fluorescent printing agent.