High contrast surface marking
DCFirst Claim
1. A thermally activated, chemically based marking method comprising the steps of:
- applying a layer of glass frit material containing an energy absorbing enhancer to a glass substrate;
irradiating said layer with a radiant energy beam having a wavelength selected to excite the energy absorbing enhancer in accordance with the form of a marking to be applied, thereby forming a bonded and permanent marking layer atop the substrate which is visible in contrast with the substrate; and
wherein the layer of glass frit material further comprises a thickness ranging between 5 and 500 microns.
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Abstract
A method of laser marking metals, plastics, ceramic materials, glazes, glass ceramics, and glasses of any desired form, which comprises applying to the material to be marked a variable thickness layer of marking material containing energy absorbing enhancers then irradiating said layer with a laser or diode based energy source such that the radiation is directed onto said layer in accordance with the form of the marking to be applied, and using a laser or diode based energy source of a wavelength which is sufficiently absorbed by the marking material so as to create a bonding of the marking material to the surface of the workpiece at the irradiated areas.
227 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A thermally activated, chemically based marking method comprising the steps of:
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applying a layer of glass frit material containing an energy absorbing enhancer to a glass substrate; irradiating said layer with a radiant energy beam having a wavelength selected to excite the energy absorbing enhancer in accordance with the form of a marking to be applied, thereby forming a bonded and permanent marking layer atop the substrate which is visible in contrast with the substrate; and wherein the layer of glass frit material further comprises a thickness ranging between 5 and 500 microns. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A thermally activated chemically based marking method comprising the steps of:
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applying a layer of glass frit material containing an energy absorbing enhancer to a metal substrate; irradiating said layer with a radiant energy beam having a wavelength selected to excite the energy absorbing layer in accordance with the form of a marking to be applied, thereby forming a bonded and permanent marking layer atop the substrate which is visible in contrast with the substrate; and wherein the layer of glass frit material further comprises a thickness ranging between 5 and 500 microns. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A thermally activated chemically based marking method comprising the steps of:
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applying a glass frit material containing an energy absorbing enhancer to a carrier; placing the carrier in contact with the substrate to be marked; and irradiating the carrier with a radiant energy beam having a wavelength selected to excite the energy absorbing enhancer in accordance with the form of a marking to be applied, thereby forming a bonded and permanent marking layer atop the substrate which is visible in contrast with the substrate.
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17. A thermally activated chemically based marking method comprising the steps of:
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applying a layer of glass frit material containing an energy absorbing enhancer to a substrate to be marked in the form of a marking to be applied; irradiating said layer with a radiant energy beam having a wavelength selected to excite the energy absorbing enhancer, thereby forming a bonded and permanent marking layer atop the substrate which is visible in contrast with the substrate; and wherein the layer of glass frit material has a thickness ranging between 5 and 500 microns. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A thermally activated chemically based marking method comprising steps of:
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applying a layer of glass frit material comprising an energy absorbing enhancing component to a metal substrate; and irradiating said layer with a radiant energy beam having a wavelength selected to excite the energy absorbing enhancing component, thereby forming an adhered layer atop the substrate which is visible in contrast with the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A thermally activated chemically based marking method comprising steps of:
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applying a glass frit material comprising an energy absorbing enhancing component to a carrier; placing the carrier in contact with the substrate to be marked; and irradiating the carrier with a radiant energy beam having a wavelength selected to excite the energy absorbing enhancing component in accordance with the form of a marking to be applied, thereby forming a bonded and permanent marking layer atop the substrate which is visible in contrast with the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A thermally-activated chemically-based marking method comprising the steps of:
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applying a layer of glass frit material comprising an energy-absorbing enhancing component to a substrate selected form the group consisting of glass, ceramic, porcelain, and metal; irradiating said layer with a radiant energy beam watts and having a wavelength selected to excite the energy absorbing enhancing component in accordance with the form of a marking to be applied, thereby a marking layer bonded to a substrate surface and contrasting with said substrate surface and not damaging said substrate surface; and wherein the radiant energy source is a continuous-wave diode laser having an energy level of about six watts. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. A thermally-activated chemically-based marking method comprising the steps of:
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applying a layer of glass frit material containing an energy absorbing enhancer to a glass substrate; irradiating said layer with a radiant energy beam having a wavelength selected to excite the energy absorbing enhancer in accordance with the form of a marking to be applied, thereby forming a bonded and permanent marking layer atop the substrate which is visible in contrast with the substrate; wherein the radiant energy beam further comprises a laser beam having a spot size ranging between 5 and 200 microns, and a marking speed along the substrate ranging between 25 and 1000 mm/sec, and an energy level that is about 5 watts Q switched at about 20,000 Hz.
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32. A thermally-activated chemically-based marking method comprising the steps of:
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applying a layer of glass frit material comprising an energy-absorbing enhancing component to a substrate selected form the group consisting of glass, ceramic, porcelain, and metal; irradiating said layer with a radiant energy beam having an energy level equal to or less than six watts and having a wavelength selected to excite the energy absorbing enhancing component in accordance with the form of a marking to be applied, thereby forming a marking layer bonded to a substrate surface and contrasting with said substrate surface and not damaging said substrate surface; and wherein the radiant energy source is a continuous-wave diode laser. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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Specification