JP7707637B2 - Apparatus and method for forming a pattern on a substrate - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for forming a pattern on a substrate.

Patent Document 1 (JP Patent Publication 2011-011819) describes how the contents are directly stamped on the bottle 2 using heat processing or stamped on the bottle using a mold, eliminating the need for a label and making the PET bottle into a cap and bottle.

The present invention aims to provide a substrate with good visibility or design.

The pattern forming device for a substrate of the present invention includes a holding unit that holds a substrate having a convex portion and a concave portion formed thereon, and a pattern forming unit that forms a pattern on the substrate , wherein the pattern forming unit forms the pattern by irradiating a laser across a top of the convex portion, a bottom of the concave portion, and a side of the convex portion or the concave portion, and the pattern forming unit irradiates the laser so that the laser focal position is near the side of the convex portion or the concave portion.

The present invention can provide a substrate with good visibility or design.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a predetermined shape according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3A and 3B are diagrams showing an example of the configuration of a dot portion according to the present embodiment, in which (a) is a top view and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in (a). 5A and 5B are scanning electron microscope photographs of a dot portion according to the present embodiment, in which (a) is a perspective view seen from above, and (b) is a perspective view seen from the cross-sectional direction indicated by the arrows DD in (a). FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a specific example of a container according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a manufacturing apparatus according to the present embodiment. 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating a focus of laser light according to the embodiment. 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating a spot diameter of a laser beam according to the present embodiment. 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating the characteristics of the spot diameter of the laser light according to the embodiment. 5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining settings of focus and power of laser light according to the present embodiment. 1 is a diagram illustrating a beam expander according to an embodiment of the present invention. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating a modified example of the manufacturing apparatus according to the present embodiment. 12A and 12B are diagrams illustrating first and second mounting portions in the modified example shown in FIG. 11 . 12 is a diagram illustrating a laser irradiation direction in the modification shown in FIG. 11 . FIG. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a modified example of the container according to the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a second modified example of the container according to the embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a third modified example of the container according to the present embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a fourth modified example of the container according to the present embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a fifth modified example of the container according to the present embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a sixth modified example of the container according to the present embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a seventh modified example of the container according to the present embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an eighth modified example of the container according to the present embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a ninth modified example of the container according to the present embodiment. FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a tenth modified example of the container according to the present embodiment. FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an eleventh modified example of the container according to the present embodiment.

Below, the mode for carrying out the invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same components are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations may be omitted. Furthermore, the embodiments shown below are illustrative of an apparatus for embodying the technical ideas of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown below. Unless otherwise specified, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative positions, etc. of the components described below are intended as examples, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention thereto. Furthermore, the sizes and positional relationships of the components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated to clarify the explanation.

The substrate according to the embodiment of the present invention is a substrate on which a predetermined shape constituting a pattern is formed in at least a partial area. The substrate refers to the material portion of an object. An example of the object is a container. Another example of the container is a PET bottle that is made of a resin such as PET and contains a beverage. However, there is no particular restriction on the object, and it may be any object. There is also no restriction on the shape and material of the container, and it may be a container of any shape and made of any material.

"At least a portion" of the substrate includes the surface area of the substrate. The surface of the substrate means the surface of the material that is in contact with the outside air, etc. In the embodiment, the term "surface of the substrate" is used as a term that is symmetrical to the interior of the substrate, so that, for example, in the case of a plate-shaped substrate, both the front and back surfaces of the substrate correspond to the surface of the substrate. Also, in the case of a cylindrical substrate, both the outer and inner surfaces of the substrate correspond to the surface of the substrate.

The pattern is an example of an information display section, and includes characters, codes such as barcodes, figures, images, etc., and displays information about the container or the contained item, such as the name, identification number, manufacturer, and production date and time of the container or the contained item, such as a beverage, contained in the container.

In containers such as PET bottles, this information may be displayed by attaching a recording medium on which this information is recorded to the surface of the container, but in this embodiment, a pattern showing this information is formed on the surface of the base material that constitutes the container, thereby displaying this information without using a recording medium.

Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a predetermined shape formed on a substrate according to this embodiment. Figure 1 shows a part of substrate 1a constituting container 1 with pattern 11 formed on its surface. Container 1 and the contained object constitute a container body. Container 1 is composed of substrate 1a made of PET resin, which is transparent to visible light, as an example. Visible light is light with a lower wavelength of about 360 nm to about 400 nm and an upper wavelength of about 760 nm to about 16,000 nm.

As an example, pattern 11 constitutes the character string "labelless." Area A is a part of the character "su" in pattern 11. Oblique view B is a schematic enlarged view of area A to explain the details of the configuration of pattern 11.

As shown in the perspective view B, region A includes a plurality of dots 110. The dots 110 are an example of a predetermined shape that is formed in at least a portion of the substrate and that constitutes a pattern. The predetermined shape includes the shape formed on the surface of the substrate and the internal shape, such as a void portion, that is located below the surface of the shape formed on the surface of the substrate.

The dot portion 110 is a milky white portion as a visual example, and includes a concave portion 111 and a convex portion 112. The concave portion 111 is a portion recessed into the surface of the base material 1a constituting the container 1, and is an example of a predetermined concave portion. The convex portion 112 is a portion protruding from the surface of the base material 1a constituting the container 1, and is an example of a predetermined convex portion. The convex portion 112 is formed around the concave portion 111 so as to surround the concave portion 111.

The multiple dots 110 are formed as an aggregate on the base material 1a that constitutes the container 1, thereby forming the character string "Labelless" in the pattern 11. Here, an aggregate refers to an object formed by gathering together individual pieces, and the pattern 11 is formed by an aggregate of multiple dots 110.

In the substrate 1a, the pattern region 13 in which the pattern 11 is formed by a plurality of dot portions 110 corresponds to the first region. In addition, the non-pattern region 12 other than the first region in the substrate 1a corresponds to the second region.

Since multiple dots 110 are formed in the patterned region 13, the reflection direction and light diffusion properties of light incident on the container 1 are different from those of the non-patterned region 12. As a result, at least one of the light transmittance or light reflectance for light incident on the container 1 is different between the patterned region 13 and the non-patterned region 12. The difference in at least one of the light transmittance or light reflectance allows a person looking at the container 1 to visually recognize the pattern 11 formed on the container 1.

In addition, the overall width (dot width) of each of the multiple dot portions 110 and the spacing (dot spacing) between the multiple dot portions 110 are small compared to the pattern 11. This allows a person looking at the container 1 to see the word "Labelless" in the pattern 11 without seeing the dot portions 110 themselves.

The gap between dots 110 that makes the dots themselves invisible varies depending on the eyesight of the person viewing the container 1 and the distance between the eyes and the container 1, but is preferably 100 μm or less. In addition, the smaller the dot width, the better, but it is preferable for the size to be less than about 100 μm so that the shape of the dots themselves cannot be distinguished. This point will be explained in more detail below.

When a person with eyesight of about 1.5 views the container 1 from a distance of about 30 cm, they can generally distinguish black and white dots of 50 μm. If the black and white contrast is low, this limit value increases, but it is generally around 50 μm. However, if only the dot is present, a 30 μm dot can be seen, and if the dot has high contrast, a 10 μm dot can also be seen.

In addition, when there are two adjacent dots 110, whether the two dots 110 can be seen depends on factors such as the resolution of the human eye. Note that resolution refers to the minimum distance at which two points can be recognized as two separate points.

The resolution of the human eye depends on eyesight, but is generally 100 μm at a distance of 30 cm. 30 cm corresponds to the distance at which one picks up a PET bottle containing drinking water or the like and is able to visually recognize information such as a label displayed on the PET bottle. In other words, if one picks up a PET bottle with one's elbows slightly bent, the distance between one's eyes and the PET bottle will be approximately 30 cm. Taking into account the size of a person's physique, this distance will vary within a range of approximately 30 cm to 50 cm. The resolution is approximately 100 μm at a distance of 30 cm and 160 μm at a distance of 50 cm.

In addition, another indicator states that if 200 dpi (dots per inch) is guaranteed as the resolution boundary, if the gap between adjacent dots is 130 μm or less, the dots will be visible as a single mass without being broken down into individual dots.

As a result, by making the gaps between dots preferably 160 μm or less, and more preferably 100 μm or less, the dot portions 110 are not perceived as being separate but are perceived as a continuum, making it possible to see patterns such as the letters "labelless" in pattern 11. Furthermore, if the size of the dots is larger than 100 μm, changes in the shape of the dots themselves may be visible. Therefore, by making the dots preferably 160 μm or less, and more preferably 100 μm or less, the dots can be perceived as a uniform pattern even if there are changes in the shape within the dots, and the collection of dots, such as letters, can be seen as a uniform pattern without graininess.

To form the dots 110, various processing methods can be applied, such as laser processing, electric discharge processing, etching, cutting, or molding using a mold. However, among these, laser processing is preferable because it can process the base material without contact and can perform high-speed processing by scanning the laser light, arraying the light source, and pattern exposure.

In laser processing, the size, shape, depth, etc. of the dot portion 110 can be changed by adjusting the light energy of the irradiated laser light (laser beam), the size of the laser beam, the irradiation time, etc. In addition, the cross-sectional intensity distribution of a laser beam is generally a Gaussian distribution, but it is also possible to adjust the intensity distribution by combining laser beams from an array light source, or to generate a top-hat shaped intensity distribution with a flat central intensity distribution by designing the irradiation optical system.

The recesses 111 in the dots 110 are formed by melting, burning, vaporizing, or deforming a portion of the substrate 1a at the irradiation position of the laser light. The protrusions 112 are formed by a portion of the substrate 1a that has separated from the recesses 111 adhering to the periphery of the recesses 111 and solidifying without being burned or vaporized. Since this process mainly uses thermal energy, a resin with a relatively low thermal conductivity is suitable for the material of the substrate 1a, but other materials such as glass can also be used.

In addition, by controlling the thermal conductivity, various predetermined shapes such as the dots 110 can be formed. For example, the thermal conductivity can be controlled by making the substrate 1a itself highly thermally conductive, or by closely contacting another member with high thermal conductivity with the substrate 1a to rapidly release the heat generated by the substrate 1a due to the irradiation of the laser light. Examples of other members with high thermal conductivity include cooling liquids and metals.

In addition, phenomena such as melting, evaporation, crystallization, and foaming during laser processing occur irregularly within the irradiated area, so the surface of the pattern area 13 tends to become rough and the surface roughness is greater than that of the non-pattern area 12. Due to the greater surface roughness, the pattern area 13 has a higher light diffusion property for light incident on the container 1 than the non-pattern area 12. As a result, the contrast of the pattern 11 increases, and visibility is further improved. In this respect, too, the application of laser processing is more suitable.

In addition, in this embodiment, the pattern is formed from an aggregate of multiple dot portions 110, each of which includes at least one of recesses 111 and protrusions 112. This increases the surface area along the shapes of the recesses 111 and protrusions 112, resulting in a larger area of surface roughness compared to a pattern formed from grooves or depressions as lumps. In addition, since the pattern is formed from an aggregate of multiple dot portions 110, the surface area increases along the shapes of the multiple dot portions 110. This further increases the light diffusion and contrast, further improving visibility.

In the example shown in the perspective view B, the dots 110 are regularly arranged in a square lattice pattern, but this is not limiting. They may be arranged in a triangular lattice pattern or a honeycomb pattern, or may be irregularly arranged with different spacing between each other.

Although the pattern 11 includes the character string "labelless" as an example, the present invention is not limited to this. The pattern 11 can also be formed of any character string, a figure or photograph, a symbol or code such as a barcode or QR code, or a combination of these. In other words, the pattern 11 is an image, and the image can be formed by a predetermined shape such as the dot portion 110.

<Configuration example of dot portion 110>
FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of the configuration of the dot portion 110 according to this embodiment, where (a) is a top view and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrows C-C in (a). FIG. 3 is a scanning electron microscope (SEM) photograph of the dot portion 110 according to this embodiment, where (a) is a perspective view seen from the top, and (b) is a perspective view seen from the cross-sectional view taken along the arrows D-D in (a). FIG. 3 is an SEM photograph obtained by enlarging and observing a portion of the pattern region 13. In FIG. 3(a), two of the multiple dot portions 110 are entirely observed, and two dot portions 110 are slightly observed on the positive Y-axis side, and two dot portions 110 are slightly observed on the negative Y-axis side. The dot width is formed to be about 100 um.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the dot portion 110 is composed of a recess 111 and a protrusion 112. The recess 111 includes a first inclined surface 1111 (hatched portion) and a bottom 1112 (solid black portion), and is formed in a bowl shape. The recess width Dc represents the width of the recess 111, and the depth dp represents the height (length in the Z-axis direction) of the bottom 1112 relative to the surface of the non-pattern region 12.

The protrusion 112 includes a top 1121 (vertical line hatching) and a second inclined surface 1122 (matte hatching), and is formed in a torus shape. Note that a torus is a surface of revolution obtained by rotating a circumference. The torus width Dr represents the radial width of the torus surface portion of the protrusion 112, and the height h represents the height of the top 1121 relative to the surface of the non-pattern region 12 (length in the Z-axis direction).

The dot width W represents the width of the entire dot portion 110. The first inclined surface 1111 and the second inclined surface 1122 are continuous surfaces. A continuous surface means a surface that is made of the same material and is connected without any steps.

As shown in FIG. 3, the surfaces constituting each of the recessed portion 111 and the protruding portion 112 are formed with minute unevenness 113, making the surface rough. The unevenness 113 is an example of an unevenness consisting of recessed and protruding portions smaller than a predetermined shape. The unevenness 113 consists of recessed and protruding portions with a width smaller than the dot width W of the dot portion 110, and typically consists of recessed and protruding portions with a width of about 1 μm to 10 μm.

As shown in FIG. 3(a), in the areas between the dots 110, chips from the process of machining the dots 110 are scattered, which also roughens the surface. In the patterned area 13, the surface roughness is greater than in the non-patterned area due to the surface roughness caused by the unevenness 113 and chips from the process.

The dots 110 can be formed, for example, by irradiating the substrate 1a with laser light and modifying the surface of the substrate 1a. One dot 110 is formed by focusing the laser light at one point on the substrate 1a. In addition, multiple dots 110 are formed by scanning the laser light in two dimensions. Alternatively, the dots 110 can be formed by multiple laser beams emitted from multiple arrayed laser light sources. Furthermore, multiple dots 110 can be formed in parallel with one exposure by irradiating an expanded laser beam onto a mask member having multiple light-transmitting openings corresponding to the positions of the dots 110, and multiple transmitted laser beams that pass through each light-transmitting opening of the mask member.

Various types of laser light sources can be used as the laser light source that irradiates the laser light. Those capable of pulse oscillation from picoseconds to nanoseconds are preferable. Solid-state lasers include YAG lasers and titanium sapphire lasers. Gas lasers include argon lasers, helium neon lasers, and carbon dioxide lasers. Semiconductor lasers are also preferable because they are small. In addition, fiber lasers, a type of solid-state laser that uses optical fiber as an amplification medium, are the most suitable light source in terms of their high peak energy and ability to be miniaturized.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing a specific example of a container according to this embodiment. In recent years, PET bottles and the like have been shifting to be thinner in order to reduce the amount of plastic used, in line with the trend to reduce plastic waste. As the bottle becomes thinner, its strength becomes insufficient, so it is already known that ribs are formed by making the bottle uneven in the horizontal direction to increase its rigidity. In addition, ribs of various shapes can be provided to improve light blocking properties and design.

The base material 1a of the container 1 shown in FIG. 4 has ribs with a convex and concave shape. Specifically, the container 1 has a convex top 1A, a concave bottom 1B, and a concave side 1C. When the concave bottom 1B is used as the reference plane, the concave side 1C is the convex side 1C.

The container 1 has multiple tops 1A, one of which is a patterned area 13 in which a pattern 11 is formed, and the other tops 1A are non-patterned areas 12 in which no pattern 11 is formed.

The container 1 has a plurality of bottoms 1B, one of which is a patterned region 13 in which a pattern 11 is formed, and the other bottoms 1B are non-patterned regions 12 in which no pattern 11 is formed.

The container 1 has a plurality of sides 1C, one of which is a patterned area 13 in which a pattern 11 is formed, and the other side 1C is a non-patterned area 12 in which no pattern 11 is formed.

In FIG. 4, the uneven ribs formed on the substrate 1a are formed in the horizontal direction, but they may be formed in the vertical direction, diagonal direction, or a combination of these directions.

Figure 5 is a diagram showing a manufacturing apparatus according to this embodiment. The manufacturing apparatus 500 for the container 1 including the substrate 1a includes a laser irradiation unit 20 as an example of a pattern forming unit that forms the pattern 11, holding units 28a, 28b that hold the container 1 including the substrate 1a, and a holding plate 29 that holds the holding units 28a, 28b. The manufacturing apparatus 100 is an example of a pattern forming device, an information forming device, and a laser processing device. The manufacturing apparatus 100 is incorporated into the manufacturing apparatus for the container 1 or container body in a factory, and is included in one process that is determined by the flow order of the manufacturing line for the container 1 or container body.

The laser irradiation unit 20 includes a laser light source 21, a beam expander 23, a scanning unit 24 that scans light using a mirror or the like, a scanning lens 25, and stereo cameras 26a and 26b.

The beam expander 23 receives the laser light 22 emitted from the laser light source 21 and changes the focal position of the laser light 27 irradiated onto the substrate 1a.

The stereo cameras 26a and 26b are an example of a position detection unit that detects the position of the convex or concave portion of the substrate 1a, and are also an example of a distance detection unit that detects the distance to the convex or concave portion of the substrate 1a. The laser irradiation unit 20 controls the energy, beam diameter, or focal position of the laser light 27 based on the distance measurement data to the convex or concave portion of the substrate 1a detected by the stereo cameras 26a and 26b. The laser irradiation unit 20 may also take into account the continuous width (size) of the top 1A, bottom 1B, and side 1C, and control the energy, beam diameter, or focal position of the laser light 27 according to the wide portion of the adjacent top 1A, bottom 1B, and side 1C in the irradiation area of the laser light 27. Furthermore, when irradiating two or more of the top portion 1A, bottom portion 1B, and side portion 1C with a laser, the laser irradiation unit 20 may control the energy, beam diameter, or focal position of the laser light 27 based on distance measurement data of the portion where the laser irradiation starts or ends.

Figure 6 is a diagram explaining the focus of the laser light according to this embodiment. Figure 6(a) shows a state in which the focus position 30 of the laser light 27 irradiated to the substrate 1a is near the top 1A.

Figure 6(b) shows a state in which the focal position 30 of the laser light 27 irradiated to the substrate 1a is midway between the top 1A and the bottom 1B, i.e., near the side 1C.

Figure 6 (c) shows a state in which the focal position 30 of the laser light 27 irradiated onto the substrate 1a is near the bottom 1B.

Figure 7 is a diagram explaining the spot diameter of the laser light according to this embodiment. Figure 7(a) shows the spot diameter in the state shown in Figure 6(a), and the spot diameter 31 near the bottom 1B is larger because it is farther away from the focal position 30.

Figure 7(b) shows the spot diameter in the state shown in Figure 6(b), where the spot diameter 31 near the bottom 1B is smaller than in the state shown in Figure 7(a).

Figure 7(c) shows the spot diameter in the state shown in Figure 6(c), where the spot diameter 32 near the apex 1A is larger than in the state shown in Figure 7(b) because it is farther away from the focal position 30.

Figure 8 is a diagram explaining the characteristics of the spot diameter of the laser light according to this embodiment. Figure 8(a) shows the relationship between the spot diameter and the energy per unit area, and shows the relationship in which the spot diameter increases and the energy per unit area decreases as the distance from the focal position increases.

Figure 8 (b) is a diagram showing the relationship between spot diameter and laser power in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the laser light source 21 is controlled so that the laser power increases as the spot diameter increases due to focal position shift. The laser power may be increased by varying the density of the ND filter or by changing the duty ratio of the illumination time of the laser light source 21.

Figure 8 (c) is a diagram explaining the relationship between spot diameter and energy per unit area x laser power in this embodiment. As the distance from the focal position increases, the spot diameter increases and the energy per unit area decreases, but in this embodiment, the energy per unit area is kept constant by increasing the laser power.

Figure 9 is a diagram explaining the setting of the focus and power of the laser light according to this embodiment. (1) is the case where pattern 11 is formed only on top 1A, and as shown in Figure 6 (a), the beam expander 23 is set so that the focus position 30 of laser light 27 is near top 1A. In this case, since pattern 11 is not formed on side 1C and bottom 1B, there is no problem with keeping the laser power constant. In this case, pattern 11 formed on top 1A is visible from any direction, so visibility is good.

(2) is the case where pattern 11 is formed only on side portion 1C, and as shown in FIG. 6(b), beam expander 23 is set so that focal point 30 of laser light 27 is near side portion 1C. In this case, pattern 11 is not formed on top portion 1A and bottom portion 1B, so there is no problem with keeping the laser power constant. In this case, pattern 11 formed on side portion 1C is highly visible from above the container, and will not disappear due to rubbing of the surface during manufacturing or transportation.

(3) is the case where pattern 11 is formed only on bottom 1B, and as shown in FIG. 6(c), beam expander 23 is set so that focal point 30 of laser light 27 is near bottom 1B. In this case, pattern 11 is not formed on top 1A and side 1C, so there is no problem with keeping the laser power constant. In this case, pattern 11 formed on bottom 1B will not disappear due to surface rubbing during manufacturing or transportation.

(4) is a case where a thin pattern 11 is formed on the top 1A and a thick pattern 11 is formed on the bottom 1B, and as shown in FIG. 6(a), the beam expander 23 is set so that the focal point 30 of the laser light 27 is near the top 1A. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7(a), the spot diameter 31 near the bottom 1B becomes large, so when the laser is irradiated on the bottom 1B, the laser light source 21 is controlled so that the laser power is larger than when the laser is irradiated on the top 1A.

(5) is a case where a thick pattern 11 is formed on the top 1A and a thin pattern 11 is formed on the bottom 1B, and as shown in FIG. 6(c), the beam expander 23 is set so that the focal point 30 of the laser light 27 is near the bottom 1B. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7(c), the spot diameter 32 near the top 1A becomes large, so when the laser is irradiated on the top 1A, the laser light source 21 is controlled so that the laser power is larger than when the laser is irradiated on the bottom 1B.

(6) is the case where a pattern 11 is formed on the top 1A, side 1C, and bottom 1B, and as shown in FIG. 6(b), the beam expander 23 is set so that the focal point 30 of the laser light 27 is near the side 1C. In this case, as shown in FIG. 7(b), the spot diameter 32 near the top 1A and the spot diameter 31 near the bottom 1B become large, but since they are smaller than those in FIG. 7(a) and FIG. 7(c), the laser power remains constant.

Figure 10 is a diagram explaining the beam expander according to this embodiment. The beam expander 23 shown in Figure 10 (a) has a concave lens 60 with negative power and a convex lens 61 with positive power. This increases the beam width, making it possible to further reduce the beam diameter narrowed down by the scanning lens.

Here, if the concave lens 60 is moved to the right along the optical axis, the light emitted from the convex lens 61 becomes divergent light, and the focus 30 changes from the top 1A to the bottom 1B near the container 1. Note that the same effect can be achieved by moving the convex lens 61 in the optical axis direction.

In this embodiment, the position of the convex or concave portion of the substrate 1a and the distance to the convex or concave portion of the substrate 1a are detected based on the output of the stereo cameras 26a and 26b, and the concave lens 60 or convex lens 61 can be controlled to move in the optical axis direction based on the detection results.

The beam expander 23 shown in FIG. 10(b) includes, in addition to the configuration shown in FIG. 10(a), a parallel plate 62 that can be inserted and removed between the concave lens 60 and the convex lens 61.

When the parallel plate 62 is inserted, the light emitted from the positive lens 61 becomes converging light, and the focal point 30 changes from the bottom 1B to the top 1A in the vicinity of the container 1. By providing multiple parallel plates 62, it is possible to accommodate various focal points 30. In addition, the parallel plate 62 can be inserted into the part of the converging or diverging light, and the same effect can be obtained even if it is not inside the beam expander 23.

In this embodiment, the position of the convex or concave portion of the substrate 1a and the distance to the convex or concave portion of the substrate 1a are detected based on the output of the stereo cameras 26a and 26b, and the insertion and removal of the parallel plate 62 can be controlled based on the detection results.

The beam expander 23 shown in FIG. 10(c) is equipped with a concave lens 63 and a convex lens 64, and is adjusted so that the light beam emitted from the convex lens 64 becomes divergent light. If the beam expander 23 shown in FIG. 10(a) is replaced with the beam expander 23 shown in FIG. 10(c), the focal point 30 changes from the top 1A to the bottom 1B in the vicinity of the container 1. A beam expander 23 corresponding to various focal positions may be provided.

In this embodiment, the position of the convex or concave portion of the substrate 1a and the distance to the convex or concave portion of the substrate 1a are detected based on the output of the stereo cameras 26a and 26b, and the replacement of the beam expander 23 can be controlled based on the detection results.

Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating a modified example of the manufacturing device according to this embodiment. The manufacturing device 500 shown in Figure 11 is a line that moves from right to left, and is equipped with a first mounting section 300 that mounts the laser irradiation section on this line, and a second mounting section 400 that mounts the stereo cameras 26a, 26b. In this way, by separately mounting the stereo cameras 26a, 26b and the laser irradiation section 20, the substrate 1a on which the pattern 11 is formed can be mass-produced at high speed.

In this case, the reference position detected by the stereo cameras 26a and 26b is determined in advance to be the center of the substrate 1a, the holding plate 29, etc., and the laser irradiation reference is aligned with this, so that the laser irradiation position can be determined with high precision.

Figure 12 is a diagram for explaining the first and second mounting parts in the modified example shown in Figure 11. The first mounting part 300 shown in Figure 12 (a) has a holding part 330 on pillars 310, 320, and mounts the laser irradiation part 20a. The laser irradiation part 20 shown in Figure 5 includes the stereo cameras 26a, 26b, but the laser irradiation part 20a shown in Figure 12 (a) is configured from the laser irradiation part 20 excluding the stereo cameras 26a, 26b.

The second mounting section 400 shown in FIG. 12(b) has a holding section 330 on the pillars 310 and 320, and mounts a stereo camera 41. The stereo camera 41 is configured in the same manner as the stereo cameras 26a and 26b shown in FIG. 5.

Figure 13 is a diagram explaining the laser irradiation direction in the modified example shown in Figure 11. If side portion 1C is in the shadow of a convex portion relative to laser irradiation unit 20a, it is not irradiated with laser and pattern 11 is not formed. Therefore, as shown in Figures 13(a) and (b), by moving laser irradiation unit 20a relative to holding plate 29 in a direction perpendicular to the line flow (left and right direction in the figure), it is possible to irradiate all side portions 1C with laser and form pattern 11.

Similarly, as shown in FIG. 13(c), by moving the laser irradiation unit 20a relative to the holding plate 29 in a direction perpendicular to the line flow (left and right direction in the figure), the laser can be irradiated onto all bottom portions 1B to form the pattern 11.

In addition, instead of Figures 13(a) to (c), the holding plate 29 may be moved in a direction perpendicular to the line flow relative to the laser irradiation unit 20a.

In the above explanation, the container 1 is fixed by the holding portion 28, but it is also possible to determine a reference for the rotation direction, rotate the container 1 relative to the holding portion 28, detect the convex and concave portions of one rotational circumference of the container 1 by the stereo camera 26, and set the focus 30 of the laser light halfway between the detected convex and concave portions. In this case, the laser is irradiated while rotating, so that the pattern 11 can be formed by irradiating the entire circumference of the container 1 with the laser.

Figure 14 is a diagram showing a modified example of a container according to this embodiment. The container 1 shown in Figure 14 (a) has multiple bottoms 1B, all of which are patterned regions 13 in which a pattern 11 is formed. On the other hand, the container 1 has multiple tops 1A and multiple sides 1C, but all of the tops 1A and sides 1C are non-patterned regions 12 in which no pattern 11 is formed. In this case, it is preferable to irradiate the laser with the settings in Figure 9 (3).

The container 1 shown in FIG. 14(b) has multiple side portions 1C, all of which are patterned regions 13 in which a pattern 11 is formed. On the other hand, the container 1 has multiple top portions 1A and multiple bottom portions 1B, all of which are non-patterned regions 12 in which no pattern 11 is formed. In this case, it is preferable to irradiate the laser with the settings in FIG. 9(2).

The container 1 shown in FIG. 14(c) has multiple tops 1A, all of which are patterned regions 13 in which patterns 11 are formed. On the other hand, the container 1 has multiple tops 1A and multiple bottoms 1B, but all of which are non-patterned regions 12 in which patterns 11 are not formed. In this case, it is preferable to irradiate the laser with the settings in FIG. 9(1).

The container 1 shown in FIG. 14(d) has multiple tops 1A, multiple bottoms 1B, and multiple sides 1C, and two adjacent tops 1A and the bottom 1B between them are patterned regions 13 in which a pattern 11 is formed. The other tops 1A and bottoms 1B, and all of the multiple sides 1C are non-patterned regions 12 in which no pattern 11 is formed. In FIG. 14(d), the pattern 11 is formed across two tops 1A and one bottom 1B, but the pattern 11 may be formed across two or more of the tops 1A, bottoms 1B, and sides 1C. In this case, it is preferable to irradiate the laser with the settings in FIG. 9(6).

Figure 15 is a diagram showing a second modified example of the container according to this embodiment. The container 1 shown in Figure 15 (a) has multiple convex apexes 1A, and one of the multiple apexes 1A has a concave portion 51 formed by embossing.

The container 1 shown in FIG. 15(b) has multiple convex shaped tops 1A, and one of the multiple tops 1A has a convex shaped portion 52 formed by embossing.

The concave portion 51 shown in FIG. 15(a) and the convex portion 52 shown in FIG. 15(b) include a pattern region 13 in which a pattern 11 including characters and lines surrounding the periphery of the characters is formed, as shown in FIG. 15(c) and FIG. 15(d), respectively. The concave portion 51 and the convex portion 52 are rectangular, but the shape is not particularly limited and may be a circle, a polygon, or the like, as appropriate.

In contrast to pattern 11 shown in FIG. 15(c), pattern 11 shown in FIG. 15(d) has thicker lines to the right and bottom of the lines surrounding the characters. This makes the characters in pattern 11 appear three-dimensional.

Figure 16 is a diagram showing a third modified example of the container according to this embodiment. The container 1 shown in Figures 16(a) and (b) has a reference surface 1D and an embossed portion 1E formed by embossing, and contains a contained object 1b. As described above, the container 1 and the contained object 1b constitute a container body. The embossed portion 1E is composed of a convex portion protruding from the reference surface 1D, or a concave portion recessed from the reference surface 1D. Figure 16(a) shows a rounded rectangular convex portion or concave portion, and Figure 16(b) shows a star-shaped convex portion or concave portion, but the shape is not particularly limited and may be a circle, polygon, or other suitable shape.

The embossed portion 1E is formed in a geometric shape and includes a pattern area 13 in which a pattern 11 is formed inside the embossed portion 1E. On the other hand, the reference surface 1D is a non-pattern area 12 in which no pattern 11 is formed.

Figure 17 is a diagram showing a fourth modified example of the container according to this embodiment. The container 1 shown in Figure 17 has a reference surface 1D and an embossed portion 1E, and contains an object 1b to be contained. The embossed portion 1E in Figure 17 is a convex or concave portion. The embossed portion 1E is formed in a character shape, and the pattern 11 is formed inside the embossed portion 1E in a pattern region 13 along the shape 1E of the embossed portion. The pattern 11 is formed in a shape similar to the character shape in which the embossed portion 1E is formed. On the other hand, the reference surface 1D is a non-pattern region 12 in which the pattern 11 is not formed. In other words, the pattern is formed in the part along the convex or concave portion. In Figure 17, the pattern 11 is formed inside the embossed portion 1E, making the characters easier to see compared to when there is only one of the embossed portion or the pattern.

Figure 18 is a diagram showing a fifth modified example of the container according to this embodiment. The container 1 shown in Figure 18 has a reference surface 1D and an embossed portion 1E, and contains a contained object 1b. The embossed portion 1E in Figure 18 is a convex portion. The embossed portion 1E is a pattern area 13 formed in a character shape, with a pattern 11 formed outside the embossed portion 1E. Figure 18 differs from Figure 17 in that the pattern area is formed outside the embossed portion 1E, creating a shadow on the outside and expressing it three-dimensionally. The pattern 11 is formed in a shape similar to the character shape in which the embossed portion 1E is formed, and is formed so as to create a shadow around the character shape in which the embossed portion 1E is formed. On the other hand, the reference surface 1D is a non-pattern area 12 in which the pattern 11 is not formed. The pattern 11 is formed around the convex portion.

Figure 19 is a diagram showing a sixth modified example of a container according to this embodiment. The container 1 shown in Figures 19(a) to (d) has a reference surface 1D and an embossed portion 1E, and contains an object 1b to be contained. The embossed portion 1E in Figure 19 is a convex or concave portion. The embossed portion 1E is formed in the shape of a character, and a pattern region 13 is formed inside the embossed portion 1E with a pattern 11 formed along the shape 1E of the embossed portion. On the other hand, the reference surface 1D is a non-pattern region 12 where the pattern 11 is not formed. In other words, the pattern is formed in the portion along the convex or concave portion.

Pattern 11 is formed so as to fill in the character shape in which embossed portion 1E is to be formed. Fig. 19(a) shows a solid pattern 11, Fig. 19(b) shows a checkered pattern 11, Fig. 19(c) shows a diagonal line pattern 11, and Fig. 19(d) shows a polka dot pattern 11.

Figure 20 is a diagram showing a seventh modified example of the container according to this embodiment. The container 1 shown in Figure 20 has a reference surface 1D and an embossed portion 1E, and contains an object 1b to be contained. The embossed portion 1E in Figure 20 is a concave portion. The embossed portion 1E is formed in a character shape, and is a non-pattern area 12 in which no pattern 11 is formed. On the other hand, the reference surface 1D is a pattern area 13 in which a pattern 11 is formed around the embossed portion 1E. The pattern 11 is similar to the character shape in which the embossed portion 1E is formed, and is formed so as to border and surround the outer periphery of the character shape in which the embossed portion 1E is formed. The pattern 11 is formed around the concave portion.

21 is a diagram showing an eighth modified example of the container according to this embodiment. The container 1 shown in FIG. 21 has a reference surface 1D and an embossed portion 1E, and contains an object 1b to be contained. The embossed portion 1E in FIG. 21 is a convex or concave portion. The embossed portion 1E is a non-patterned area 12 formed in a figure shape, where the pattern 11 is not formed. On the other hand, the reference surface 1D is a patterned area 13 where the pattern 11 is formed around the embossed portion 1E. The pattern 11 is formed in a shape similar to the figure shape in which the embossed portion 1E is formed, so as to surround the outer periphery of the figure shape in which the embossed portion 1E is formed. In other words, the pattern is formed in the part along the convex or concave portion. Although a star-shaped convex or concave portion is shown in FIG. 21, the shape is not particularly limited, and a circular shape, a polygonal shape, or the like may be applied as appropriate.

Figure 22 is a diagram showing a ninth modified example of a container according to this embodiment. The container 1 shown in Figure 22 has a reference surface 1D and an embossed portion 1E, and contains an object 1b to be contained. The embossed portion 1E in Figure 22 is a convex or concave portion. The embossed portion 1E is formed in the shape of a letter, and is a pattern region 13 in which a pattern 11 is formed inside the embossed portion 1E. The reference surface 1D is also a pattern region 13 in which a pattern 11 is formed around the periphery of the embossed portion 1E.

The pattern 11 in the embossed portion 1E is formed in a checkered pattern so as to fill in the character shape in which the embossed portion 1E is to be formed. The pattern 11 on the reference surface 1D is formed in a shape similar to the character shape in which the embossed portion 1E is to be formed, so as to outline and surround the outer periphery of the character shape in which the embossed portion 1E is to be formed. In other words, the pattern is formed in the portion along the convex or concave portion.

Figure 23 is a diagram showing a tenth modified example of a container according to this embodiment. The container 1 shown in Figure 23 has a reference surface 1D and an embossed portion 1E, and contains an object 1b to be contained. The embossed portion 1E in Figure 23 is a convex or concave portion. The embossed portion 1E is formed in a geometric shape, and is a pattern region 13 in which a pattern 11 is formed inside the embossed portion 1E. The reference surface 1D is also a pattern region 13 in which a pattern 11 is formed around the periphery of the embossed portion 1E.

The pattern 11 in the embossed portion 1E is formed by solid painting so as to fill in the geometric shape in which the embossed portion 1E is to be formed. The pattern 11 on the reference surface 1D is formed by solid painting in a shape similar to the geometric shape in which the embossed portion 1E is to be formed, surrounding the periphery of the geometric shape in which the embossed portion 1E is to be formed. In other words, the pattern is formed in the portion along the convex or concave shape.

Figure 24 is a diagram showing an eleventh modified example of a container according to this embodiment. The container 1 shown in Figure 24 has a reference surface 1D and an embossed portion 1E, and contains an object 1b to be contained. The embossed portion 1E in Figure 24 is a convex or concave portion. The embossed portion 1E is a pattern area 13 formed in a geometric shape, with a pattern 11 formed on the inside. The reference surface 1D is also a pattern area 13 with a pattern 11 formed that overlaps with the embossed portion 1E.

The pattern 11 in the embossed portion 1E is formed by solid painting so as to fill in the geometric shape in which the embossed portion 1E is to be formed. The pattern 11 on the reference surface 1D is formed in a shape similar to the geometric shape in which the embossed portion 1E is to be formed, and is formed so as to overlap with the geometric shape in which the embossed portion 1E is to be formed. The pattern 11 is formed at least around the periphery of the convex portion or the periphery of the concave portion.

In addition, in the embodiment, an example in which the container is cylindrical is shown, but the container is not limited to this and may be a box-shaped container, a cone-shaped container, etc.

In addition, for the object contained in the container 1, by increasing the contrast of the pattern against the color of the object contained in the container that is transparent to visible light, it is possible to provide a pattern that is highly visible and has a large amount of information. For example, if the object is black, forming an opaque pattern on the container makes the pattern easier to see, and if the object is white, forming a blackened pattern on the container makes the pattern easier to see.

The container may have any shape, such as a cylinder or a rectangular prism without shoulders or inclined parts. The contents of the container may be any color, and may be anything that fits in the container, such as cold or hot, carbonated, or colloidal (such as yogurt). The contents may be, for example, coffee, tea, beer, water, juice, carbonated, milk, etc., but are not limited to these, and may be anything that fits in the container.

The processing state can also be changed depending on the contents of the container. For example, the processing state can be changed by adjusting the laser intensity, etc., to whiten or opaque depending on the contents of the container, and the shade can be controlled.

Dots may also be formed to match the shape of the embossed PET bottle. Furthermore, the above-mentioned inclined processing may also be used in combination to process the contours, interior, and outer periphery of the unevenness.

●Summary●
As described above, the manufacturing apparatus 500, which is an example of a pattern forming apparatus for a substrate 1a according to one embodiment of the present invention, includes a holding unit 28 that holds the substrate 1a on which a convex or concave portion is formed, and a laser irradiation unit 20 as an example of a pattern forming unit that forms a pattern 11 on the substrate 1a, and the pattern 11 is formed in at least one of the convex portion, the concave portion, the periphery of the convex portion or the periphery of the concave portion, and the portion along the convex portion or the concave portion.

This allows the convex or concave portions and the pattern 11 to be viewed as a set, improving the visibility of the pattern 11 compared to when the pattern is formed on a uniform plane, or enhancing the design by emphasizing the convex or concave portions compared to when no pattern is formed. When forming the pattern 11 around the convex or concave portions, the pattern 11 is disposed adjacent to the periphery of the convex or concave portion or disposed nearby with a predetermined width therebetween, and is formed surrounding the circumference of the convex or concave portion. This emphasizes the convex or concave portion. When the pattern 11 is disposed nearby with a predetermined width therebetween with respect to the periphery of the convex or concave portion, it is preferable that the predetermined width is sufficiently smaller than the convex or concave portion.

The laser irradiation unit 20 forms a pattern 11 on the top 1A of the convex portion, the side 1C of the convex portion, the bottom 1B of the concave portion, the side 1C of the concave portion, the periphery of the convex portion, or the periphery of the concave portion. The laser irradiation unit 20 may form a pattern 11 across two or more of the top 1A of the convex portion, the side 1C of the convex portion, the bottom 1B of the concave portion, the side 1C of the concave portion, the periphery of the convex portion, and the periphery of the concave portion.

This allows the various variations in shape to be viewed as a set with the pattern 11, improving the visibility of the pattern 11 and the design of the convex and concave portions.

The laser irradiation unit 20 can easily form the pattern 11 by forming the pattern 11 through laser irradiation.

The pattern 11 is composed of a collection of dots 110, and the laser irradiation unit 20 forms the dots 110 by irradiating them with a laser. This makes it easy to form a pattern 11 that is highly visible or that emphasizes convex or concave portions.

The laser irradiation unit 20 changes the laser focus 30 by the beam expander 23. This makes it possible to reduce the variation in the laser beam diameter (spot diameter) at the position where the pattern 11 is formed, whether it is a convex portion, a concave portion, the periphery of a convex portion, or the periphery of a concave portion, and reduces the variation in the quality of the pattern 11.

The laser irradiation unit 20 changes the amount of laser light. As a result, even if the laser beam diameter (spot diameter) increases due to a shift in the laser focal position, the amount of laser light is increased, reducing the fluctuation in the laser irradiation energy per unit area and reducing the variation in pattern quality.

The laser irradiation unit 20 changes the direction of laser irradiation. This allows a pattern to be reliably formed on a convex portion, a concave portion, the periphery of a convex portion, or the periphery of a concave portion.

The manufacturing device 500 is equipped with a stereo camera 26, which is an example of a position detection unit that detects the position of a convex or concave portion. This allows the pattern 11 to be reliably formed on the convex portion, the concave portion, the periphery of the convex portion, or the periphery of the concave portion.

The manufacturing apparatus 500 is equipped with a stereo camera 26, which is an example of a distance detection unit that detects the distance to a convex or concave portion. This reduces the variation in quality of the pattern 11 caused by the variation in the laser optical path length, whether it is a convex portion, a concave portion, the periphery of a convex portion, or the periphery of a concave portion.

A method for forming a pattern on a substrate according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a preparation step of preparing a substrate on which a convex or concave portion is formed, and a pattern formation step of forming a pattern 11 on at least one of the convex portion, the concave portion, the periphery of the convex portion or the periphery of the concave portion, and the portion along the convex portion or the concave portion.

The base material 1a of the container 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention is a base material 1a on which a convex or concave portion is formed, and a pattern 11 is formed on at least one of the convex portion, the concave portion, the periphery of the convex portion or the periphery of the concave portion, and the portion along the convex portion or the concave portion. The pattern 11 is formed across two or more of the top of the convex portion, the side of the convex portion, the bottom of the concave portion, the side of the concave portion, the periphery of the convex portion, and the periphery of the concave portion. The convex portion and the concave portion are formed by embossing.

1 Container 1a Base material 1b Container 1A Top (part of convex portion)
1B Bottom (part of concave portion)
1C Side portion (part of convex or concave portion)
1D Reference surface 1E Embossed portion (convex or concave portion)
2 Cap 11 Pattern 110 Dot portion (predetermined shape, an example of a dot)
111 Recess (an example of a predetermined recess)
1111: first inclined surface 1112: bottom 112: convex portion (an example of a predetermined convex portion)
1121: top portion 1122: second inclined surface 113: uneven portion 12: non-patterned region (an example of a second region)
13 Pattern area (an example of the first area)
20 Laser irradiation section (pattern forming section)
21 Laser light source 22 Laser light 23 Beam expander 24 Scanning unit 25 Scanning lens 26 Stereo camera (an example of a position detection unit or distance detection unit)
27 Laser light 28 Holding portion 29 Holding plate 30 Focus 31, 32 Spot diameter 300 First mounting portion 400 Second mounting portion 500 Manufacturing device A Area B Perspective view dp Depth Dc Recess width Dr Ring width h Height W Dot width

JP 2011-011819 A

Claims (8)

a holder for holding a substrate on which a convex portion and a concave portion are formed;
A pattern forming unit that forms a pattern on the substrate,
the pattern forming section forms the pattern by irradiating a laser across a top of the convex portion, a bottom of the concave portion, and a side of the convex portion or the concave portion;
The pattern forming unit is an apparatus for forming a pattern on a substrate by irradiating a laser so that a laser focal position is near a side of the convex portion or the concave portion . 2. The apparatus for forming a pattern on a substrate according to claim 1, wherein the pattern is constituted by a collection of dots, and the pattern forming section forms the dots by irradiating a laser . 3. The apparatus for forming a pattern on a substrate according to claim 1, wherein the pattern forming section changes a laser focal position . 4. The apparatus for forming a pattern on a substrate according to claim 3 , wherein the pattern forming section changes an amount of laser light . 5. The apparatus for forming a pattern on a substrate according to claim 1 , wherein the pattern forming section changes a direction of laser irradiation . 6. The apparatus for forming a pattern on a substrate according to claim 1, further comprising a position detection unit that detects the position of the convex portion or the concave portion . The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising a distance detection unit that detects a distance to the convex portion or the concave portion . A preparation step of preparing a base material having a convex portion and a concave portion formed thereon;
a pattern forming step of forming a pattern by irradiating a laser across a top of the convex portion, a bottom of the concave portion, and a side of the convex portion or the concave portion;
Equipped with
The method for forming a pattern on a substrate, wherein the laser focal position in the pattern forming step is near a side of the convex portion or the concave portion.