Method and apparatus for marking shrink wrap lid for beverage container

Abstract

A reflective hood system for heat-shrinking a film onto an open-topped container includes a reflective hood having a reflective surface, a radiant energy source, and a reflective shield, wherein the reflective shield is located at or near an opening in the reflective hood, and wherein the reflective shield has at least one optical aperture, an optical aperture including an optical surface having areas of higher and lower reflective capability. The reflective hood assembly may further include a reflective shield having two or more optical apertures.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A reflective hood system for heat-shrinking a film onto an open-topped container comprising: 
 a reflective hood having a reflective interior surface;    a radiant energy source; and    a reflective shield, the reflective hood and the reflective shield being configured to concentrate radiant energy from the radiant energy source about the periphery of an opening in a portion of the hood, and wherein the reflective shield has at least one optical aperture.    
     
     
         2 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 1  wherein the reflective shield has two or more optical apertures.  
     
     
         3 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 1  further comprising a protective optical element, wherein the protective optical element is provided at the opening in the reflective hood.  
     
     
         4 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 3  wherein the protective optical element is plastic.  
     
     
         5 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 3  wherein the protective optical element is glass.  
     
     
         6 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 1  wherein the interior surface is coated with a material to enhance surface reflectivity.  
     
     
         7 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 6  wherein the interior surface is coated with a gold or silver metallic reflective surface.  
     
     
         8 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 1  wherein the reflective hood comprises at least four angularly displaced frusto-conical surfaces.  
     
     
         9 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 8  wherein the interior surface is coated with a material to enhance surface reflectivity.  
     
     
         10 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 9  wherein the interior surface is coated with a gold or silver metallic reflective surface.  
     
     
         11 . The reflective hood assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the reflective hood has a curvilinear surface of revolution.  
     
     
         12 . The reflective hood assembly according to  claim 11  wherein the reflective hood is a double ellipsoidal hood.  
     
     
         13 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 12  wherein the interior surface is coated with a material to enhance surface reflectivity.  
     
     
         14 . The reflective hood assembly according to  claim 13  wherein a surface of the double ellipsoidal reflective hood is coated with a gold or silver metallic reflective surface.  
     
     
         15 . The reflective hood assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the reflective shield is rotatably mounted on an axis.  
     
     
         16 . The reflective hood assembly according to  claim 15  wherein the reflective shield has grooves capable of securing the shield in a specific position, and wherein the grooves are capable of receiving a securing device.  
     
     
         17 . The reflective hood assembly according to  claim 1  further including a template positioned beneath the reflective shield.  
     
     
         18 . The reflective hood assembly according to  claim 17  wherein the template is engraved with a pattern.  
     
     
         19 . The reflective hood assembly according to  claim 18  wherein the template is rotationally mounted.  
     
     
         20 . The reflective hood assembly according to  claim 12  wherein the double ellipsoidal reflective hood has first and second focal rings, and wherein one of the first or second focal rings is coincident with the periphery of the opening in the lower portion of the hood.  
     
     
         21 . A method of heat-shrinking film onto an open-topped container comprising the steps of: 
 contacting the top of an opening of an open-topped container with a heat-shrink film;    placing the covered open-topped container at an opening of a reflective hood, wherein a portion of the opening of the reflective hood is covered by a reflective shield, and wherein the reflective shield has at least one optical aperture; and    subjecting the covered container to radiant energy having visible and near infrared wavelengths.    
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21  wherein a first portion of the radiant energy reflects along a surface of the reflective hood and is ultimately directed to an area below the brim of the open-topped container, thereby shrinking the heat-shrink film, wherein a second portion of the radiant energy reflects off a surface of the reflective shield and contacts a surface of the reflective hood and is ultimately directed to an area below the brim of the open-topped container, thereby shrinking the heat-shrink film, and, wherein a third portion of the radiant energy passes through at least one optical aperture and impinges on the thin film.  
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 21  wherein the reflective shield has two or more optical apertures.  
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 21  further comprising a protective optical element, wherein the protective optical element is provided at the opening in the reflective hood.  
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24  wherein the protective optical element is plastic.  
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 24  wherein the protective optical element is glass.  
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 21  wherein the interior surface of the reflective hood is coated with a material to enhance surface reflectivity.  
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27  wherein the interior surface is coated with a gold or silver metallic reflective surface.  
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 21  wherein the reflective hood comprises at least four angularly displaced frusto-conical surfaces.  
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 29  wherein the interior surface of the reflective hood is coated with a material to enhance surface reflectivity.  
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 30  wherein the frusto-conical surfaces are coated with a gold or silver metallic reflective surface.  
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 21  wherein the reflective hood has a curvilinear surface of revolution.  
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 32  wherein the reflective hood is a double ellipsoidal hood.  
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 33  wherein the interior surface of the reflective hood is coated with a material to enhance surface reflectivity.  
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 34  wherein a surface of the double ellipsoidal reflective hood is coated with a gold or silver metallic reflective surface.  
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 21  wherein the reflective shield is rotatably mounted on an axis.  
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 36  wherein the reflective shield has grooves capable of securing the shield in a specific position and wherein the grooves are capable of receiving a securing device.  
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 36  further including the step of rotating the reflective shield.  
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 21  further including a template positioned beneath the reflective shield.  
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 39  wherein the template is engraved with a pattern.  
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 39  wherein the template is rotatably mounted.  
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 33  wherein the double ellipsoidal reflective hood has first and second focal rings, wherein one of the first or second focal rings is coincident with the periphery of the opening in the lower portion of the hood, and wherein the radiant energy is concentrated at the focal ring coincident with the periphery of the opening in the lower portion of the hood.  
     
     
         43 . A reflective hood system for heat-shrinking a film onto an open-topped container comprising: 
 a reflective hood capable of concentrating energy from a radiant energy source onto an area of the film which is to be shrunk and onto a reflective shield; and    the reflective shield having at least one optical aperture.    
     
     
         44 . A reflective hood system for heat-shrinking a film onto an open-topped container comprising: 
 a reflective hood having a reflective interior surface;    a first radiant energy source;    a reflective shield, the reflective hood and the reflective shield being configured to concentrate radiant energy from the first radiant energy source about the periphery of an opening in a portion of the hood;    a template positioned beneath the reflective shield; and    a second radiant energy source located between the reflective shield and the template.    
     
     
         45 . A reflective hood system for heat-shrinking a film onto an open-topped container comprising: 
 a reflective hood having a reflective interior surface;    a first radiant energy source;    a reflective shield, the reflective hood and the reflective shield being configured to concentrate radiant energy from the first radiant energy source about the periphery of an opening in a portion of the hood; and    at least one secondary radiant energy source located external to the reflective hood, wherein the secondary radiant energy source is in optical communication with the film.    
     
     
         46 . A reflective hood system for heat-shrinking a film onto an open-topped container comprising a reflective hood and a reflective shield, the reflective shield having at least one aperture, wherein the reflective hood and the reflective shield are capable of concentrating energy from a radiant energy source onto areas of the film which are to be shrunk.  
     
     
         47 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 46  wherein the reflective shield has two or more optical apertures.  
     
     
         48 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 46  further comprising a protective optical element, wherein the protective optical element is provided at the opening in the reflective hood.  
     
     
         49 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 48  wherein the reflective hood has a reflective interior surface.  
     
     
         50 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 48  wherein the reflective hood includes a radiant energy source.  
     
     
         51 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 50  wherein the reflective hood and the reflective shield are configured to concentrate at least a portion of the radiant energy from the radiant energy source about the periphery of an opening in a portion of the hood.  
     
     
         52 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 48  further comprising a protective optical element, wherein the protective optical element is provided at the opening in the reflective hood.  
     
     
         53 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 52  wherein the protective optical element is plastic.  
     
     
         54 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 52  wherein the protective optical element is glass.  
     
     
         55 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 49  wherein the interior surface is coated with a material to enhance surface reflectivity.  
     
     
         56 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 55  wherein the interior surface is coated with a gold or silver metallic reflective surface.  
     
     
         57 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 46  wherein the reflective hood comprises at least four angularly displaced frusto-conical surfaces.  
     
     
         58 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 57  wherein the interior surface is coated with a material to enhance surface reflectivity.  
     
     
         59 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 58  wherein the interior surface is coated with a gold or silver metallic reflective surface.  
     
     
         60 . The reflective hood assembly according to  claim 46  wherein the reflective hood has a curvilinear surface of revolution.  
     
     
         61 . The reflective hood assembly according to  claim 60  wherein the reflective hood is a double ellipsoidal hood.  
     
     
         62 . The reflective hood system according to  claim 61  wherein the interior surface of the double ellipsoidal hood is coated with a material to enhance surface reflectivity.  
     
     
         63 . The reflective hood assembly according to  claim 62  wherein a surface of the double ellipsoidal reflective hood is coated with a gold or silver metallic reflective surface.  
     
     
         64 . The reflective hood assembly according to  claim 46  wherein the reflective shield is rotatably mounted on an axis.  
     
     
         65 . The reflective hood assembly according to  claim 64  wherein the reflective shield has grooves capable of securing the shield in a specific position, and wherein the grooves are capable of receiving a securing device.  
     
     
         66 . The reflective hood assembly according to  claim 46  further including a template positioned beneath the reflective shield.  
     
     
         67 . The reflective hood assembly according to  claim 66  wherein the template is engraved with a pattern.  
     
     
         68 . The reflective hood assembly according to  claim 67  wherein the template is rotationally mounted.  
     
     
         69 . The reflective hood assembly according to  claim 61  wherein the double ellipsoidal reflective hood has first and second focal rings, and wherein one of the first or second focal rings is coincident with the periphery of the opening in the lower portion of the hood.