Printable high pressure irreversible indicating material

• US 10,508,962 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2017
• Issued: 12/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volk Enterprises Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Volk Enterprises Incorporated
• Inventors: Parker, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Kirkland, III, Freddie
• Application Number:
  US16/467,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20190316982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/241 by photoelastic stress analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 23/00 Devices or apparatus for measuring or indicating or recording rapid changes, such as oscillations, in the pressure of steam, gas, or liquid; Indicators for determining work or energy of steam, internal-combustion, or other fluid-pressure engines from the condition of the working fluid

Abstract

A pressure indicator comprising a printed or coated film with micron sized particles disbursed in a transparent binder, wherein the particles change from white to transparent when exposed to high pressure.

Claims

1. A pressure indicator comprising a printed or coated film with micron sized particles disbursed in a transparent binder, wherein the particles will change from white to transparent when exposed to high pressure.

2. The pressure indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the particles size range is from submicron size to approximately 9 microns.

3. The pressure indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the particle size range is from 0.1 microns to 10 microns.

4. The pressure indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the binder is a water-based material.

5. The pressure indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the particles are food-safe polymer particles.

6. The pressure indicator as claimed in claim 1, comprising multiple coatings or a tapered film thickness resulting in a printed or coated film having a varying thickness, whereby the varying thickness is used to determine the pressure to which the pressure indicator has been subjected.

7. The pressure indicator as claimed in claim 6, wherein the tapered film thickness increases in thickness from a first end of the coating or label, through a middle section of the coating or label, to a second end of the coating or label.

8. The pressure indicator as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

a) if only the first end of the coating or label becomes transparent, then the material has been subjected to a first, lower pressure;

b) If only the first end and the middle section of the coating or label becomes transparent, then the material has been subjected to a second, middle pressure; and

c) If the entire coating or label becomes transparent, then the material has been subjected to a third, higher pressure.

9. The pressure indicator as claimed in claim 8, wherein by selecting a type of material by melt temperature, a thickness versus pressure profile for the coating or label is developed, whereby the pressure indicator is classified for a specific pressure or range of pressures.

10. The pressure indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the particles are viscoelastic.

11. The pressure indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the particles are polymers, and a certain polymer that melts at a certain pressure is selected to indicate that the certain pressure has been reached.

12. The pressure indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the binder is an ultraviolet light-based binder.

13. The pressure indicator as claimed in claim 12, wherein the particles are not soluble in the ultraviolet light-based binder.

14. The pressure indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thin film is printed or coated on a food product or food product packaging.

15. The pressure indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein thin film is incorporated on a label used on a food product or food product packaging.

16. The pressure indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein, upon exposure to pressure, the particles tend to flow and flatten, whereby the initial pre-pressure particles are white or whitish in color, and the post-pressure particles are clear or clearish.

17. The pressure indicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the particles are printed in the form of a barcode, whereby if the desired pressure is reached, the particles melt and the barcode becomes transparent.

18. A pressure indicator comprising a printed or coated thin film with micron sized particles disbursed in a transparent binder, wherein:

the particles will change from non-transparent to transparent when exposed to high pressure, whereby upon exposure to the high pressure, the particles tend to flow and flatten, whereby the initial pre-pressure particles are non-translucent and the post-pressure particles are transparent; and

the particle size range is from 0.1 microns to 10 microns.

19. The pressure indicator as claimed in claim 18, further comprising multiple coatings or a tapered film thickness that increases in thickness from a first end of the coating or label, through a middle section of the coating or label, to a second end of the coating or label, resulting in a printed or coated thin film having a varying thickness, wherein:

a) if only the first end of the coating or label becomes transparent, then the material has been subjected to a first, lower pressure;

b) If only the first end and the middle section of the coating or label becomes transparent, then the material has been subjected to a second, middle pressure; and

c) If the entire coating or label becomes transparent, then the material has been subjected to a third, higher pressure,

whereby the varying thickness is used to determine the pressure to which the pressure indicator has been subjected.

20. The pressure indicator as claimed in claim 18, wherein the thin film is printed or coated on a food productor food product packaging, or is incorporated on a label used on a food product or food product packaging.