IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,558,912
Granted Patent B2
US 12,558,912 · App. 17/744,734 · Granted Feb 24, 2026

Container and content containing body, and method for producing container and container producing apparatus

Inventors: Masako Yoshii (Kanagawa, JP); Keiichi Serizawa (Kanagawa, JP); Makoto Hino (Kanagawa, JP); Kazuhiro Akatsu (Kanagawa, JP); Takeshi Ueda (Tokyo, JP); Takayuki Nakamura (Kanagawa, JP); Yumiko Kishi (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
B41M5/24B41J2/442B44C1/228B65B21/00B65B57/00B65D23/08B41J3/40733B44F1/02B65D1/02B65D2203/02B65D2203/12
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,558,912
App. No.
17/744,734
Granted
Feb 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a container including a container body and an image on the container body. The image includes a plurality of dented portions and non-dented portions. A visibility value of the image represented by Mathematical formula (1) below is greater than or equal to a predetermined value. Visibility value= b 0 ·L* 0 ·(1−exp( b 1 ·ΔL *))  Mathematical formula (1) In Mathematical formula (1), L* 0 represents a luminosity of the image. ΔL* represents a difference between the luminosity of the image and a luminosity of any other portion than the image, b 0 represents a positive real number, and b 1 represents a negative real number.

Claims (37)

1 . A container, comprising:

a container body having an image on the container body; and

a content contained in the container, wherein

the image includes a plurality of dented portions and non-dented portions, and

a visibility value of the image represented by Mathematical formula (1) below is 2 or greater,

Visibility value= b 0 ·L* 0 ·(1−exp( b 1 ·ΔL *))  Mathematical formula (1)

where L* 0 represents a luminosity of the image determined by:

a G signal of a photo of the container body taken in a darkroom in a state where a pair of white diffusion surfaces are respectively set on both sides of the container body, and

a polynomial representing a relationship between G signals and luminosity obtained by taking a photo of a color chart having known luminosity values and approximating output values of the photo of the color chart with an n-th order polynomial, and

ΔL* represents a difference between the luminosity of the image, determined by the G signal of the photo of the container body and the polynomial, and a luminosity of any portion of the container body other than the image,

b 0 is 0.195, and

b 1 is −0.193.

2 . The container according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of an area of the plurality of dented portions to an area of the image [(the area of the plurality of dented portions/the area of the image)×100] is 40% or greater but 95% or less.

3 . The container according to claim 1 , wherein

each of the dented portions is formed of a plurality of processed portions, and

the plurality of processed portions are disposed linearly along a first scanning direction.

4 . The container according to claim 3 , wherein a width of each of the dented portions in a second scanning direction orthogonal to the first scanning direction is less than or equal to a one-dot width of a predetermined resolution.

5 . A method for producing the container according to claim 1 , the method comprising irradiating the container body with laser light to form the image.

6 . The method for producing the container according to claim 5 , further comprising either or both of rotating the container body about an axis and moving the container body.

7 . The method for producing the container according to claim 5 , wherein a spot diameter of the laser light is 1 micrometer or greater but 200 micrometers or less.

8 . The method for producing the container according to claim 5 , wherein the image is formed under control of an intensity of the laser light.

9 . The method for producing the container according to claim 5 , wherein the image is formed under scanning of the laser light.

10 . The method for producing the container according to claim 5 , wherein the image is formed under independent control of intensities of a plurality of rays of laser light emitted from a plurality of laser light sources.

11 . An apparatus configured to produce the container according to claim 1 , the apparatus comprising an irradiation unit configured to irradiate the container body with laser light to form the image.

12 . The apparatus configured to produce the container according to claim 11 , further comprising either or both of a rotating unit configured to rotate the container body about an axis and a moving unit configured to move the container body.

13 . A container, comprising:

a container body having an image on the container body; and

a content contained in the container, wherein

the image includes a plurality of dented portions, and

a visibility value of the image represented by Mathematical formula (1) below is 2 or greater,

Visibility value= b 0 ·L* 0 ·(1−exp( b 1 ·ΔL *))  Mathematical formula (1)

where L* 0 represents a luminosity of the image determined by:

a G signal of a photo of the container body taken in a darkroom in a state where a pair of white diffusion surfaces are respectively set on both sides of the container body, and

a polynomial representing a relationship between G signals and luminosity obtained by taking a photo of a color chart having known luminosity values and approximating output values of the photo of the color chart with an n-th order polynomial, and

ΔL* represents a difference between the luminosity of the image, determined by the G signal of the photo of the container body and the polynomial, and a luminosity of any portion of the container body other than the image,

b 0 is 0.195, and

b 1 is −0.193.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 16, 2022
From: YOSHII, MASAKO; SERIZAWA, KEIICHI; HINO, MAKOTO; AKATSU, KAZUHIRO; UEDA, TAKESHI; NAKAMURA, TAKAYUKI; KISHI, YUMIKO
To: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.,
Reel/Frame 059914/0505 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2021-095556 · Jun 8, 2021 · national
JP 2021-200988 · Dec 10, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220388324A1 · Dec 8, 2022
References Cited (11)
US 20050036026A1 · Inukai · 2005 [cited by examiner]
US 20140305831A1 · Hansen · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20150235233A1 · Dangmann et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150352772A1 · Feuilloley · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20220097414A1 · Hirayama · 2022 [cited by examiner]
JP 2006076210 · 2006 [cited by applicant]
JP 2006248191 · 2006 [cited by applicant]
JP 2011011819 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
JP 2021176648 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
JP 2022015739 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report issued Dec. 6, 2022 in European Patent Application No. 22173070.8, 12 pages. [cited by applicant]