Claims
- 1. A packaging material which comprises:
a) a substrate; and b) at least one indicia-former carried by said substrate which undergoes conversion from a first visual condition to a second visual condition upon exposure to heat energy.
- 2. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the material is flexible.
- 3. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the material is dimensionally stable.
- 4. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the packaging material includes an absorbent material which comprises at least one radiant energy absorbing component selected from the group consisting of carbon black, graphite and iron oxide.
- 5. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the indicia-former undergoes a change in perceptibility.
- 6. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the indicia-former undergoes a change in appearance.
- 7. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the indicia-former undergoes a change in hue.
- 8. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the indicia-former undergoes a change in shade.
- 9. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the indicia-former undergoes a change in brightness.
- 10. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the indicia-former undergoes a change in lightness.
- 11. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the indicia-former undergoes a change in saturation.
- 12. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the indicia-former undergoes a change in color.
- 13. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the indicia-former undergoes a change in reflectiveness.
- 14. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the indicia-former undergoes a change in absorbtivity.
- 15. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the indicia-former undergoes a change from white to black.
- 16. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the indicia-former undergoes a change from light gray to dark gray.
- 17. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the indicia-former is configured to comprise a circle enclosing the letter “x.”
- 18. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the indicia-former is configured to comprise a check mark.
- 19. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the indicia-former is configured to comprise words identifying packaging contents.
- 20. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein the heat sensitive indicia-former comprises thermochromic ink.
- 21. The packaging material according to claim 20, wherein the thermochromic ink undergoes conversion from one color to a second color upon exposure to heat energy from the absorbent material.
- 22. The packaging material according to claim 21, wherein the thermochromic ink undergoes conversion from white to black upon exposure to heat energy from the absorbent material.
- 23. The packaging material according to claim 20, wherein the thermochromic ink is applied onto the film substrate by printing.
- 24. The packaging material according to claim 23, wherein the thermochromic ink is applied onto the film substrate by flexographic printing.
- 25. A product which comprises:
a) a substrate; and b) at least one indicia-former carried by said substrate which undergoes conversion from a first visual condition to a second visual condition upon exposure to heat energy.
- 26. A flexible material which comprises:
a) a thin film substrate which is substantially transparent to radiant energy; b) an absorbent material associated with at least a portion of the substrate, said absorbent material being sufficiently opaque to radiant energy to absorb said radiant energy and convert said energy into heat energy; and c) at least one indicia-former carried by said film substrate which undergoes conversion from a first visual condition to a second visual condition upon exposure to heat energy from said absorbent material.
- 27. The flexible material of claim 26, wherein the absorbent material is in the form of a nonuniform layer.
- 28. The flexible material of claim 27, wherein said nonuniform layer comprises parallel dotted lines.
- 29. A heat-shrinkable flexible packaging film, said film having at least one energy sensitive indicia-former on the surface thereof, said film comprising:
a) a thin film substrate which is flexible and shrinks when heated, and which is substantially transparent to radiant energy, thereby remaining substantially unchanged on exposure to radiant energy; b) an absorbent material associated with at least a portion of said substrate, said absorbent material being sufficiently opaque to radiant energy to absorb said energy and convert said radiant energy into heat energy, with said heat energy being transferred to said indicia-former; and c) said energy sensitive indicia-former carried by said film being caused to undergo conversion from a first visual condition to a second visual condition upon exposure to said heat energy.
- 30. The packaging film according to claim 29, wherein the temperature at which the energy sensitive indicia-former undergoes conversion from one visual condition to another is lower than the temperature at which said film is caused to shrink.
- 31. The packaging film according to claim 29, wherein the film substrate is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyolefins such as polypropylene, linear-low density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, copolymers of ethylene and vinyl acetate, copolymers of ethylene and vinyl alcohols, isonomers; copolymers of vinylidone chloride, copolymers of ethylene and acrylic acid, polyamides, polyesters, polystyrene, nylon and copolymers of ethylene and octenes.
- 32. The packaging film according to claim 31, wherein the film substrate is a polyvinyl chloride or a polyolefin.
- 33. The packaging film according to claim 32, wherein the film substrate is a bi-axially oriented shrink film having a thickness of between about 0.0127 millimeters and about 0.0381 millimeters.
- 34. The packaging film according to claim 29, wherein the absorbent material comprises at least one radiant energy absorbing component selected from the group consisting of carbon black, graphite and iron oxide.
- 35. The packaging film according to claim 29, wherein the indicia-former undergoes a change in perceptibility.
- 36. The packaging film according to claim 35, wherein the indicia-former undergoes an enhancement in perceptibility.
- 37. The packaging film according to claim 29, wherein the energy sensitive indicia-former is an ink selected from the group of thermochromic pigment, thermochromic dye and thermochromic ink.
- 38. The packaging film according to claim 37, wherein the energy sensitive indicia-former comprises thermochromic ink.
- 39. The packaging film according to claim 38, wherein the thermochromic ink undergoes conversion from white to black upon an increase in temperature due to heat energy from the absorbent material.
- 40. The packaging film according to claim 29, wherein the energy sensitive indicia-former is applied to the film substrate by printing.
- 41. The packaging film according to claim 40, wherein the indicia-former is applied onto the film substrate by flexographic printing.
- 42. The packaging film of claim 29, wherein the indicia-former is applied to the film surface by brushing.
- 43. The packaging film according to claim 29, wherein the indicia-former is configured to comprise a circle enclosing the letter “x.”
- 44. The packaging film according to claim 29, wherein the indicia-former is configured to comprise a check mark.
- 45. The packaging film according to claim 29, wherein the indicia-former is configured to comprise words identifying package contents.
- 46. The packaging film according to claim 29, wherein the absorbent material is in the form of a nonuniform layer.
- 47. The packaging film according to claim 46, wherein said nonuniform layer comprises parallel dotted lines.
- 48. A method of sealing a beverage in an open-top container, said method comprising the steps of
a) filling the container with the beverage; b) applying over the open top of the container the heat-shrinkable flexible packaging film of claim 29; and c) exposing the film to at least one radiant energy source, resulting in the conversion of the radiant energy to heat energy that causes the film to shrink and seal the open top of the container and change the indicia-former from a first visual condition to a second visual condition.
- 49. The method according to claim 48, wherein the radiant energy sources used to shrink and seal the film and to change the indicia-former from the first visual condition to the second visual condition are distinct.
- 50. The method according to claim 48, wherein the radiant energy source is any form of energy that is transmissible through a medium such as air without being substantially absorbed thereby.
- 51. The method according to claim 48, wherein the radiant energy source is a tungsten halogen lamp emitting light energy having wave lengths of between about 600 nm and about 1400 nm.
- 52. The method according to claim 51, wherein the halogen lamp is an Ushio JC 24V-100W/G 6.35 lamp.
- 53. The method according to claim 48, wherein the radiant energy source has an average voltage that can be adjusted by varying the duty cycle of a high frequency signal so as to control the radiant energy output.
- 54. The method according to claim 53, wherein the duty cycle of the radiant energy source is kept between about 0% to about 5% to allow the radiant energy to operate at a pre-warming level and then the duty cycle is increased to about 20% to about 60% for a time of about 0.25 to about 0.35 seconds to transmit a more intense level of energy to the film to convert the indicia-former from the first visual condition to the second visual condition.
- 55. The method according to claim 48, wherein the radiant energy source is a 100-watt halogen lamp.
- 56. The method according to claim 55, wherein the 100-watt lamp is an Ushio JC 24V-100W/G 6.35 lamp.
- 57. The method according to claim 54, wherein the duty cycle of the energy source is kept at about 3% to allow the radiant energy to operate at a pre-warming level, and then the duty cycle is increased to about 35% for 0.33 seconds to transmit a more intense level of energy to the film to convert the indicia-former from the first visual condition to the second visual condition.
- 58. The method according to claim 57, wherein the radiant energy source is a 100-watt halogen lamp.
- 59. The method according to claim 58, wherein the 100-watt halogen lamp is an Ushio JC 24V-100W/G 6.35 lamp.
- 60. In combination, an open-top container, the open top of which is covered by a heat-shrinkable flexible packaging film, said film comprising:
a) a thin film substrate which is flexible and shrinks when heated, and which is substantially transparent to radiant energy, thereby remaining substantially unchanged by radiant energy; b) an absorbent material associated with at least a portion of said substrate, said absorbent material being sufficiently opaque to radiant energy to absorb said radiant energy and convert said radiant energy into heat energy; and c) an energy sensitive indicia-former carried by said film and comprising an ink formulation which undergoes conversion from a first visual condition to a second visual condition upon exposure to heat energy converted from the exposure of the absorbent material to radiant energy.
- 61. The combination of claim 60, wherein the indicia-former undergoes conversion at a temperature below that at which said film is caused to shrink.
- 62. The combination of claim 60, wherein the absorbent material comprises at least one radiant energy absorbing component selected from the group consisting of carbon black, graphite and iron oxide.
- 63. The combination of claim 60, wherein the indicia-former is selected from the group consisting of thermochromic pigment, thermochromic dye and thermochromic ink.
- 64. The combination of claim 60, wherein the indicia-former is thermochromic ink.
- 65. The combination of claim 60, wherein the open-top container is a beverage container.
- 66. The combination according to claim 60, wherein the indicia-former is configured to comprise a circle enclosing the letter “x.”
- 67. The combination according to claim 60, wherein the indicia-former is configured to comprise a check mark.
- 68. The combination according to claim 60, wherein the indicia-former is configured to comprise words identifying beverage options.
- 69. The combination according to claim 60, wherein the absorbent material is in the form of a nonuniform layer.
- 70. The combination according to claim 69, wherein said nonuniform layer comprises parallel dotted lines.
- 71. A method of manufacturing a flexible film packaging material, said method comprising the steps of:
a) applying to a thin film substrate a radiant energy absorbent material being sufficiently opaque to radiant energy to absorb said radiant energy and convert said radiant energy into heat energy; and b) applying to the substrate of the film a heat sensitive indicia-former which undergoes conversion from a first visual condition to a second visual condition upon exposure to heat energy.
- 72. The method according to claim 71, wherein application steps (a) and (b) are carried out by printing the radiant energy absorbent material and heat sensitive indicia-former onto the film.
- 73. A heat shrinkable flexible packaging film, said film having at least one energy sensitive indicia-former on the surface thereof, said film comprising:
a) a thin film substrate which is flexible and shrinks when heated, and which is substantially transparent to energy, thereby remaining substantially unchanged on exposure to energy; and b) said energy sensitive indicia-former carried by said film comprising an ink formulation which undergoes conversion from a first visual condition to a second visual condition upon exposure to energy.
- 74. The heat shrinkable flexible packaging film according to claim 73, wherein the indicia-former is selected from the group consisting of photochromic ink and electrochromic ink.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/359,347, filed Feb. 5, 2003, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/183,415, filed Jun. 28, 2002, and which is also based on and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/302,232, filed Jun. 29, 2001. This application also claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/387,366, filed Jun. 10, 2002. All of these applications are incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60302232 |
Jun 2001 |
US |
|
60387366 |
Jun 2002 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10359347 |
Feb 2003 |
US |
Child |
10434881 |
May 2003 |
US |
Parent |
10183415 |
Jun 2002 |
US |
Child |
10359347 |
Feb 2003 |
US |