Patent · US Active

Method and apparatus for printing on tablets

US9033447B2 · kind B2 · utility

6Cited by
1References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 23, 2012
Grant dateMay 19, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 23, 2032

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB41J11/42
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus are for contactless-printing on tablets that are supplied successively at random spacings in the conveyance direction, respectively in plural rows. The apparatus includes a hopper to supply tablets, a distributing unit to distribute the supplied tablets in plural rows, a conveyor to convey the tablets randomly with the random spacings in the conveyance direction and with the rows maintained, a detection camera to detect the tablets during conveyance, an inkjet printer to print on the tablets based on data detected by the detection camera, an inspection camera to check a printing state on the tablets, and a defective tablet rejection unit to reject a defective tablet during conveyance of the tablets based on the check result of the inspection camera.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.