Method and apparatus for laser marking objects
First Claim
1. Apparatus for laser marking individual objects with indicia at a marking station wherein a predetermined window exists during which each object can be marked as the objects are conveyed along at least one path at a predetermined speed, said apparatus comprising:
- at least first and second laser marking units positioned adjacent said at least one path configured to direct a laser beam onto the objects to mark the same with indicia as the objects pass through the marking station;
each of said first and second laser marking units marking alternate following objects as they pass through the marking station.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention comprise an apparatus for laser marking individual objects with indicia at a marking station wherein a predetermined window exists during which each object can be marked as the objects are conveyed along at least one path at a predetermined speed, the apparatus comprising, at least first and second lasers positioned adjacent one or more paths configured to direct a laser beam onto the objects to mark the same with indicia as the objects pass through the marking station, with each of the first and second lasers marking alternate following objects as they pass through the marking station.
154 Citations
37 Claims
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1. Apparatus for laser marking individual objects with indicia at a marking station wherein a predetermined window exists during which each object can be marked as the objects are conveyed along at least one path at a predetermined speed, said apparatus comprising:
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at least first and second laser marking units positioned adjacent said at least one path configured to direct a laser beam onto the objects to mark the same with indicia as the objects pass through the marking station; each of said first and second laser marking units marking alternate following objects as they pass through the marking station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. Apparatus for laser marking individual chicken eggs while they travel along at least one path through an egg grading system, said apparatus comprising:
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at least a first enclosure for housing a processor for controlling the operation of said apparatus, including memory for storing digital information defining various graphic representations; a plurality of laser marking units operatively connected to said processor and configured to mark at least two graphic representations on eggs traveling along said at least one path; each of said laser marking units further comprising; a generator for producing a laser beam at an output; a galvanometer scanning head positioned adjacent the path configured to receive said laser beam and direct it onto eggs as they travel along the path. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of laser marking individual objects while they travel along at least one path through a marking station at a preferably first predetermined speed, comprising the steps of:
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activating a first laser to begin marking a first object when it enters the marking station and continuing to mark the object through a first predetermined time window within the station; activating a second laser to begin marking a successive object when it enters the marking station and continuing to mark the successive object through a second predetermined time window within the station; the first and second predetermined time windows overlapping with one another so that both objects are being simultaneously marked for at least a portion of the length of said time windows. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of producing a digital file of a graphic representation that can be rendered on a moving surface by a vector based scanning laser scanning at a predetermined marking speed within a predetermined time window, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a grid representing the general size of the graphic representation to be rendered; establishing a multiplicity of vectors on said grid that illustrate the graphic representation with realistic visual fidelity; cutting long vectors into shorter vectors where the long vectors extend at least more than approximately one third of the width of the grid; determining the total length of vectors on the to be rendered and simplifying vectors if the total length cannot be rendered within said predetermined time window; and determining the order of rendering by the laser so that downstream vectors are rendered generally before upstream vectors. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification