US5206496A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sub-surface marking
Assignee: LASER DESIGN INTERNATIONAL LLC
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Filing: 1991-08-15
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Granted: 1993-04-27
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Expires: 2011-08-15
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for providing a body of material (14) with sub-surface marking in the form of an area of increased opacity to electromagnetic radiation. The method includes directing at a surface of the body (14) a high energy density beam (12, 26) to which the material (14) is transparent, and bringing the beam (12,26) to a focus at a location spaced from the surface and within the body (14) so as to cause localized ionization of the material (14). In a prefered embodiment the apparatus includes a laser (10) as a high energy density beam source and provides means (36, 38) to move the focus of the beam (12,26) relative to the body (14) so as to enable the mark to be of a predetermined shape.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert M. Clement
- 👤 Neville R. Ledger
- 👤 Robert P. Sunman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 22:02
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C71/00; B29C71/04; B23; B23K; B23K26/00; B23K26/02; B23K26/035; B41; B41J; B41J3/00; B41J3/407; B41M; B41M5/00; B41M5/26; B41M5/262; B41M5/267; B44; B44B; B44B7/00; C; C03; C03C; C03C23/00; C03C23/0005; C03C23/001; C03C23/0025; G; G06; G06K; G06K1/00; G06K1/12; G06K1/126; B29C35/00; B29C35/02; B29C35/08; B29C35/0805; B29C2035/0838; B29C35/0866; B41J2/00; B41J2/435; B41J2/44; B41J2/442
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
A method of forming a sub-surface mark within a body, at least a portion of said body being of a material to be marked, said method comprising the steps of: (a) directing at said portion a high energy density beam to which the material is transparent; and (b) focusing the beam at a location in the material, within said portion, and spaced from the surfaces of said portion so as to cause localised ionisation of the material at said location and the creation at said location of a mark in the form of an area of increased opacity to electromagnetic radiation, substantially without any detectable change at said surfaces or at the surfaces of said body.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
116 words
A method of forming a sub-surface mark within a body, at least a portion of said body being of a material to be marked, said method comprising the steps of: (a) directing at said portion a high energy density beam to which the material is transparent; and (b) focusing the beam at a location in the material, within said portion, and spaced from the surfaces of said portion so as to cause localised ionisation of the material at said location and the creation at said location of a mark in the form of an area of increased opacity to electromagnetic radiation, substantially without any detectable change at said surfaces or at the surfaces of said body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the body is transparent to electromagnetic radiation at wavelengths within the visible region.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the body is opaque to electromagnetic radiation at wavelengths within the visible region such that the mark may only be detected by optical instruments operating at an appropriate wavelength within the electromagnetic spectrum.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein step (b) includes moving the focus of the beam relative to said portion so as to create the mark with a predetermined shape.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the mark is three dimensional.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method in accordance with claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the mark comprises one or more numerals, letters or symbols, or a combination thereof.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
112 words
An apparatus for forming a sub-surface mark within a body, at least a portion of said body being of a material to be marked, said apparatus comprising: means for creating a high energy density beam to which the material is transparent; and means for focusing the beam at a location in the material, within said portion, and spaced from the surfaces of said portion so as to cause localised ionisation of the material at said location and the creation at said location of a mark in the form of an area of increased opacity to electromagnetic radiation, substantially without any detectable change at said surfaces or at the surfaces of said body.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
112 words
An apparatus for forming a sub-surface mark within a body, at least a portion of said body being of a material to be marked, said apparatus comprising: means for creating a high energy density beam to which the material is transparent; and means for focusing the beam at a location in the material, within said portion, and spaced from the surfaces of said portion so as to cause localised ionisation of the material at said location and the creation at said location of a mark in the form of an area of increased opacity to electromagnetic radiation, substantially without any detectable change at said surfaces or at the surfaces of said body.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein the high energy density beam is a focusable particle beam.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein the means for creating a high energy density beam is a laser.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein the laser has a peak energy density at the focus of at least 10 J/cm 2 .
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the laser has a power density at the focus of at least 10 7 W/cm 2 and is pulsed with a pulse duration of less than 10 -6 seconds.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein the laser is a Nd-YAG laser.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 9, further comprising means for moving the focus of the beam relative to said portion so as to create the mark with a predetermined shape.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein the means for moving the focus of the beam includes at least one movable mirror disposed in the path of the beam.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein the means for moving the focus further includes a programmed computer for controlling the movement of the at least one movable mirror.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 14 or claim 15, wherein the at least one movable mirror is a galvanometer mirror.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein the means for focusing the beam includes a lens element of variable focal length.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 9, further comprising a secondary source of visible laser radiation for facilitating alignment of the high energy density beam.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
48 words
An article of manufacture comprising a at least a portion of said body being of a material having an internal zone of damage resulting from localized ionization and spaced from the surfaces of said portion and the surfaces of said body to form a mark within said portion.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
48 words
An article of manufacture comprising a at least a portion of said body being of a material having an internal zone of damage resulting from localized ionization and spaced from the surfaces of said portion and the surfaces of said body to form a mark within said portion.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
An article of manufacture in accordance with claim 19, wherein the body is transparent to electromagnetic radiation at wavelengths within the visible region.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
16 words
An article of manufacture in accordance with claim 20, wherein the body is glass or plastic.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
48 words
An article of manufacture in accordance with claim 19, wherein at least a portion of the body is opaque to electromagnetic radiation at wavelengths within the visible region such that the mark may only be detected by optical instruments operating at an appropriate wavelength within the electromagnetic spectrum.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
An article of manufacture in accordance with claim 19, wherein the mark is three dimensional.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
An article of manufacture in accordance with claim 19, wherein the mark comprises one or more numerals, letters or symbols, or a combination thereof.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
An article of manufacture in accordance with claim 19, wherein the article is a container.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-04-26 | 1996-10-26 | 1997-04-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2000-04-26 | 2000-10-26 | 2001-04-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2004-04-26 | 2004-10-26 | 2005-04-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |