Method of identifying a container and/or a finished article obtained from the said container, in particular for medical use

1. Method of marking a container ( 1 ) for identification purpose for medical or diagnostic use, intended to hold a product ( 10 ) of interest, the said container ( 1 ) being obtained by a process characterized in that it comprises at least the following steps during which:

(B) a two-dimensional or three-dimensional marking zone ( 4 ), the temperature of which is maintained at a first temperature, is provided in or on the substrate of a blank ( 2 ) intended to constitute the said container ( 1 ) and, in the said marking zone ( 4 ), an identification code ( 5 ) is reproduced by illumination ( 6 ) of the said marking zone ( 4 ) with at least one beam ( 7 ) of coherent monochromatic localized electromagnetic radiation to which the substrate is at least partially transparent, the said beam ( 7 ) being operated and controlled in order to remove or modify the constituent substrate of the wall ( 3 ) and to leave the identification code ( 5 ), in positive or negative form, in the said wall so that the said code is readable; and

(C) at least the said marking zone ( 4 ) is annealed, by a heat source separate from the said at least one beam ( 7 ), by heating it to a second temperature strictly above the said first temperature so as at least to reduce the differences in internal tension in the substrate between the said marking zone ( 4 ) and the rest of the said wall ( 3 ).

2. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the said first temperature is chosen so as to be strictly below the glass transformation temperature of the constituent substrate of the said container ( 1 ).

3. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that, during a step (A) carried out before the said step (B), the said blank ( 2 ) is obtained by at least one of the techniques chosen from the group comprising: cutting, deburring, hot forming, hot deformation of at least one end portion ( 2 a ) of the said blank ( 2 ) after this end portion ( 2 a ) has been heated up to a temperature that permits the said deformation.

4. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the blank ( 2 ), including the marking zone ( 4 ) is annealed in its entirety during the said step (C).

5. Method according to claim 4 , characterized in that, during the said step (C), the said marking zone ( 4 ) is annealed with a heat source different from that used for annealing the entire said blank ( 2 ), this heat source comprising, for example, at least one flame, at least one microflame or at least one defocused laser beam.

6. Method according to claim 5 , characterized in that the said identification code ( 5 ) consists of discrete elements and in that, during the said step (C), the said discrete elements are annealed individually or in groups by means of the said separate heat source.

7. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the marking zone ( 4 ) is provided in the thickness of the wall ( 3 ) of the container ( 1 ), at some distance from its internal face ( 3 a ) and/or from its external face ( 3 b ).

8. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the marking zone ( 4 ) is provided on the wall ( 3 ) of the container ( 1 ).

9. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the marking zone ( 4 ) is provided on the internal face ( 3 a ) of the wall ( 3 ) of the container ( 1 ).

10. Method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the said wall ( 3 ) is used to form, at least in part, a container ( 1 ) for medical use chosen from the group comprising a syringe, a bottle or vial, a cartridge, a tube, a slide, intended to hold a product ( 10 ) of interest, chosen from the group comprising a medicament, a vaccine, a product, a physiological fluid, in divided or undivided solid, gel, powder or liquid form.

11. Method according to claim 1 , wherein said blank ( 2 ) is pre-formed prior to the beam ( 7 ) removing or modifying the constituent substrate of the wall ( 3 ) in leaving the identification code ( 5 ).