Glass container having a graphic data carrier
AssigneeOwens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.
InventorsCarol A. Click, Brian J. Chisholm, Edward Ordway
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of making a glass container with an optically readable graphic data carrier. A glass container is exposed to electromagnetic radiation to produce discoloration within the glass of the container, and then focused beam energy is directed at the glass container in a pattern corresponding to a desired graphic data carrier to heat the glass and selectively remove the discoloration in the pattern corresponding to the desired graphic data carrier.
Claims27
A method of manufacturing a glass container with an optically readable graphic data carrier integrated into the container, which includes the steps of:
- (a) producing a glass melt including a bulk composition doped with at least one electromagnetic-radiation-sensitive dopant;
- (b) forming a glass container from the glass melt that includes a wall having inner and outer surfaces;
- (c) annealing the glass container;
- and then
- (d) selectively exposing a localized region of the wall of the formed glass container to electromagnetic radiation to produce a locally discolored region of glass between the inner and outer surfaces of the wall of the glass container;
- and then
- (e) directing focused beam radiation at the glass container in a pattern corresponding to a desired graphic data carrier to heat selective portions of glass in the locally discolored region such that discoloration produced in said step (d) is removed from the selective portions of glass in the locally discolored region in the pattern corresponding to the desired graphic data carrier.
A method of making a glass container with an optically readable graphic data carrier integrated into the container, which includes the steps of:
- (a) exposing a glass container to electromagnetic radiation to produce discoloration within the glass of the glass container, and then
- (b) directing focused beam energy at the glass container in a pattern corresponding to a desired graphic data carrier to heat selective portions of glass in the glass container such that the discoloration produced in the glass in said step (a) is removed from the selective portions of glass in the pattern corresponding to the desired graphic data carrier.
A method of making a glass container with an optically readable graphic data carrier integrated into the container, which includes the steps of:
- (a) exposing a glass container to X-ray radiation, gamma-ray radiation, or a combination thereof to produce discoloration within the glass of the glass container, and then
- (b) directing laser energy at the glass container in a pattern corresponding to a desired graphic data carrier to heat selective portions of the glass container such that the discoloration produced in said step (a) is removed from the selective portions of the glass container in said pattern corresponding to said desired graphic data carrier.
A method of manufacturing a glass container with an optically readable graphic data carrier integrated into the container, which includes the steps of:
- (a) forming a glass container that includes a wall having inner and outer surfaces;
- (b) annealing the glass container;
- and then
- (c) selectively producing a locally discolored region of glass within the glass container between the inner and outer surfaces of the wall of the glass container;
- and then
- (d) heating selective portions of glass in the locally discolored region of glass such that the discoloration produced in said step (c) is removed from the selective portions of glass in the locally discolored region in a pattern corresponding to a desired graphic data carrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.