(57) The invention relates to a method for reproducing inscriptions on containers of any
form or type or on labels applied to them, directly on the packaging line. The desired
inscription is thermally reproduced, directly on the packaging line, by laser or heated
heads on a limited region of the containers which has been previously covered with
a layer of thermosensitive recording material or ink, without danger of contaminating
or damaging the containers, without requiring bulky equipment, and at a high reproduction
rate.
[0001] This invention relates to a method for reproducing inscriptions on containers directly
on the packaging line, and also relates to the containers obtained in this manner
and to the containers to be subjected to said reproduction method.
[0002] The containers concerned can be of the most diverse forms (large or small boxes,
bags etc.), be constructed of different materials, and be intended to contain any
product (in particular pharmaceutical or food products).
[0003] Inscriptions such as words or dates often have to be reproduced either on containers
or on labels applied to them, directly on the machine or line on which the products
to be contained in the containers are fed into them or on which the final packaging
of the containers takes place.
[0004] For example the expiry date, or price, or a series number has to be reproduced on
containers for drugs or food products, such data not being able to be determined much
beforehand and hence not being able to be printed when the containers are initially
printed and prepared by the paper processing firm.
[0005] The aforesaid inscriptions (which as stated have to be reproduced on the line or
plant in which the containers are filled or packaged) are currently reproduced by
ink jets sprayed onto the boxes, or by printing by ink applied by an inked printing
head, or by dry punches which locally deform the containers to leave the desired impression
on them, or by applying labels previously printed with the desired inscription to
such containers.
[0006] All these methods have considerable drawbacks, such as a relatively high cost, a
slow-down in the container packaging rate, the need to position (to the side of the
packaging line) ink-containing vessels or printing or punching machines which are
costly and space-consuming, or the danger that the inks used and in particular their
volatile solvents contaminate the products contained in the containers, etc.
[0007] The main object of the present invention is to provide a method which enables inscriptions
to be reproduced on containers at high speed and at low cost directly on the packaging
line, while avoiding the danger of contaminating the products contained in the containers,
the risk of mechanically damaging the containers or the products contained in them,
and the risk of contaminating such products, and in all cases without requiring the
use of bulky equipment positioned to the side of the packaging line.
[0008] These and further objects are attained by a method in which on a limited region of
the containers which has been previously at least partly covered with a layer of thermosensitive
recording material or ink, inscriptions or the like are reproduced directly on the
container packaging line by thermal means which heat said recording material in correspondence
with the desired inscriptions.
[0009] Thermosensitive recording materials or inks are well known. When heated they irreversibly
assume a colour or tone different from the original (such recording materials can
be transparent or white or coloured before heating). Recording material or ink compositions
of the aforesaid type are described in many patents, for example in US-A-4742042,
US-A-5043313 and DE-A-3836797, and are manufactured by numerous firms such as Pilot
Ink (Japan), Big Three Industries Tempil Division (USA), Jin An Industrial (Taiwan),
Manoukian S.p.A. (Italy), etc.
[0010] Such recording materials or inks can be applied to the containers in many different
ways, for example by brush, by spraying, or by printing machines. It has however been
found particularly advantageous to directly use those machines commonly used for applying
liquids or fluids under pressure to paper supports or the like, employing spray guns
or spreading heads of well known type such as those manufactured by Nordson Corporation
(USA) or by Robatech (Italy) - commonly used for spreading glue over cardboard blanks
or over packages of various types. Using these systems on a common machine of known
type for folding and gluing boxes, it is possible to apply over limited regions of
the boxes a layer of thermosensitive recording material or ink at a rate of about
100,000 boxes per hour (or more).
[0011] The layer of thermosensitive recording material can be applied directly by the paper
processing firm which prints and produces the boxes, or by the label production firm
(if the desired inscription is to appear on a label), or by the firm which produces
and supplies the containers (sachets, bags or the like). This can be done very easily
because such firms already possess the machinery for applying the layer of thermosensitive
recording material, which application can be effected directly before or after the
normal printing of the cardboard blanks (or resistant structure) of the containers
or during the container folding. If desired, the layer of thermosensitive recording
material can be applied during any stage of the manufacture of the containers, but
before printing the inscriptions.
[0012] The firm which uses the containers, feeds into them the products to be contained,
and then closes the containers, has merely to position at any point of the packaging
line a heated head or a laser beam source to heat the layer of thermosensitive recording
material (at a rate which can be very high) at the points at which the desired inscription
is to appear. As will be apparent, the overall size of such heating members is very
small, there are no problems of contaminating or damaging the containers or their
contained products, and final container packaging cost and time are reduced.
[0013] It is not necessary to describe the laser beam sources or heated heads for reproducing
the inscriptions on the layer of thermosensitive recording material as their construction
is simple and obvious to any expert of the art.
[0014] The invention also relates to containers with inscriptions reproduced in the described
manner on layers of thermosensitive recording material, and also to containers with
limited regions covered with a layer of such recording material and intended to receive
the said thermally printed inscriptions directly on the container packaging line.
1. A method for reproducing inscriptions on containers directly on the packaging line,
characterised in that on a limited region of the containers which has been previously
at least partly covered with a layer of thermosensitive recording material or ink,
inscriptions or the like are reproduced directly on the container packaging line by
thermal means which heat said recording material in correspondence only with the desired
inscriptions.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said thermal means are laser
beams.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said thermal means are heated
profiled heads.
4. A container comprising a region at least partly covered with a layer of thermosensitive
recording material or ink on which inscriptions are reproduced thermally.
5. A container comprising a region at least partly covered with a layer of thermosensitive
recording material or ink which is to thermally receive inscriptions on a container
packaging line.