Method for direct parts marking composite materials

• US 20040137203A1
• Filed: 10/21/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Aspenns, Glenn David, Adams, Matthew T.
• Application Number:
  US10/690,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20040137203A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/195.1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2037/80 Identifying, e.g. coding, dating, marking, numbering
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/865 completely encapsulated
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/02 on fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/10 on synthetic resin layer or on natural or synthetic rubber layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/12 on paper layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/20 Inorganic coating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2255/26 Polymeric coating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/021 Fibrous or filamentary layer layers of natural mineral fibres or particles being impregnated in a plastic substance B32B19/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/023 Two or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/028 Paper layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/04 Impregnation, embedding, or binder material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/046 Synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0269 Aromatic polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/101 Glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/106 Carbon fibres, e.g. graphite fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/208 Magnetic, paramagnetic
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/4023 on the layer surface, e.g. ink
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/41 Opaque
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/416 Reflective
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/422 Luminescent, fluorescent, phosphorescent
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/75 : Printability
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2429/00 : Carriers for sound or information
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2519/00 : Labels, badges
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2519/02 : RFID tags
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/08 : Cars
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/12 : Ships
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/18 : Aircraft blades, propellers B32B2603/00
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 : of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/16 : specially treated, e.g. irradiated
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/205 : the fillers creating voids or cavities, e.g. by stretching
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 29/005 : next to another layer of paper or cardboard layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/26 : characterised by a particular shape of the outline of the cross-section of a continuous layer; characterised by a layer with cavities or internal voids foam layer B32B5/18; layer of synthetic resin characterised by fillers that create voids or cavities B32B27/205; characterised by an apertured layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/024 : Woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/16 : characterised by features of a layer formed of particles, e.g. chips, powder or granules layer formed of natural mineral particles B32B19/00; layer being formed of wood fibres, chips or particles B32B21/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/26 : another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/14 : Security printing securities B42D25/29
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/00 : Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means medals or badges A44C3/00; making labels B31D1/02; sheets temporarily attached together B42F; labelling B65C; labels on record carriers G11B23/38, G11B23/40; Seals; Postage or like stamps
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/02 : Forms or constructions layered products B32B
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 7/165 : obtained by a treatment of the support
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/22 : Nonparticulate element embedded or inlaid in substrate and visible
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 : Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]

Abstract

An integral label for composite materials. The label, printed with magnetically doped ink, ink with UV components, ink with IR components may be embedded on the surface of the composite material using a heat curable resin. The indicia on the label can be read with magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) or other magnetic scanning technology or scanners that recognize UV and/or IR components. The label may be made of retro reflective material and reverse printed with opaque ink. The data carrier may be a mesh, paper, porous material, solid resin sheet or the data may be printed directly on the composite. There is no need for visual contrast between the composite, label and/or indicia.

Claims

1. A label for use with a composite material comprising:

a carrier with ink indicia, the ink is selected from the group consisting of ink with magnetic components, ink with IR components and ink with UV components;

wherein the label is integral with an object comprised of a composite material.

2. The label of claim 1, wherein the carrier is selected from the group consisting of a mesh, paper, a porous material that is printable and allows permeation of a resin material, and a sheet of solid resin material.

3. The label of claim 1, wherein the object is free of any visually discernable marks indicating the label.

4. The label of claim 1 wherein the ink is unpigmented.

5. The label of claim 1, wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of:

automotive component, aerospace component, marine component, and aircraft component.

6. The label of claim 1, wherein the label is embedded in the surface of the composite material using a resin material.

8. The label of claim 5, wherein the object is free of any visually discernable marks indicating the label.

7. The label of claim 7, wherein the carrier is selected from the group consisting of a mesh, paper, a porous material that is printable and allows permeation of a resin material, and a sheet of solid resin material, a mesh.

9. A label for use with a composite material comprising:

a carrier with ink indicia printed in reverse,

wherein the label is integral with an object comprised of the composite material.

10. The label of claim 9 wherein the carrier is a retro reflective mesh and the ink obscures the retro reflective mesh except for the indicia.

11. A method of concealing data comprising the steps of:

obtaining a carrier;

printing data on the carrier with ink selected from the group consisting of magnetically doped ink, ink with UV components, ink with IR components; and

embedding the carrier in a composite material.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the carrier is selected from the group consisting of a mesh, paper, a porous material that is printable and allows permeation of a resin material, and a sheet of solid resin material.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

placing the carrier on the surface of the composite;

coating the carrier with a resin;

allowing the resin to flow into the carrier; and

bonding the carrier to the composite material.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the composite material is manufactured into an object, said object is selected from the group consisting of:

automotive component, aerospace component, marine component, and aircraft component.

15. A method of concealing data comprising the steps of:

obtaining a retro reflective data carrier;

printing indicia on the data carrier to obscure the retro reflective data carrier except for the indicia; and

embedding the carrier into a composite material.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

placing the carrier on the surface of the composite material;

coating the carrier with a resin;

allowing the resin to flow into the carrier; and

bonding the carrier to the composite material.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the composite material is manufactured into an object, said object is selected from the group consisting of:

automotive component, aerospace component, marine component, and aircraft component.

18. A method of concealing data comprising the steps of:

printing data on a composite with ink, said ink selected from the group consisting of magnetically doped ink, ink with UV components, and ink with IR components.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the composite is manufactured into an object, said object is selected from the group consisting of:

automotive component, aerospace component, marine component, and aircraft component.