Method and apparatus for marking pellet shaped articles

• US 5,655,453 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 08/12/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ackley E. Michael
• Original Assignee: Ackley E. Michael
• Inventors: Ackley, E. Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): YAN, REN LUO
• Application Number:
  US08/472,968
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 101/35, 101/37, 101/40, 101/483, 198/382, 198/384, 198/393, 198/396, 198/397
• US Class Current: 101/483
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 3/007 Marking tablets or the like apparatus for printing on tablets or the like B41F17/36
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 17/36 for printing on tablets, pills, or like small articles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/4073 Printing on three-dimensional objects not being in sheet or web form, e.g. spherical or cubic objects B41J3/283, B41J3/286 take precedence; building up a 3D object using individual droplets from jetting heads B29C64/112
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/1471 Movement in one direction, substantially outwards

Abstract

A pellet marking device which includes a ramp-type carrier system for receiving pellet-shaped articles to be imprinted from a feed hopper of improved efficiency, and for conveying the received pellet-shaped articles to a printing device which is combined with the carrier system and which is appropriate for applying desired indicia to the particular product which is to be handled. This may include the more traditional contact-type printing systems which are useful in conjunction with the majority of pellet-shaped articles to be handled, as well as non-contacting ink-jet systems for applying indicia to pellet-shaped articles which do not lend themselves to contact-type printing procedures. An improved feed hopper is provided which not only contributes to the foregoing, but which also operates to significantly improve the efficiency of the system by ensuring that the pellet-receiving pockets of the pellet-conveying system are filled to the greatest extent possible while maintaining an effective production rate.

Claims

1. A method for marking indicia on pellet shaped articles, comprising the steps of:

loading a plurality of pellet shaped articles having variable printing and conveying characteristics in a random order within a hopper mounted on a conveyor having a ramped section and a horizontal section, said conveyor passing beneath the hopper in the ramped section and including a plurality of carrier bars having pockets structured to receive the pellet shaped articles in said ramped section from the hopper;

receiving the pellet shaped articles within the pockets of the carrier bars at an adjustable loading angle as the conveyor passes beneath the hopper in said ramped section and contacts the plurality of pellet shaped articles;

transporting the pellet shaped articles from the ramped section towards and past a printing station disposed in the horizontal section;

continuously monitoring the conveying characteristics of the pellet shaped articles emerging from both the hopper and the planting station;

selectively adjusting the loading angle of the ramped section of the conveyor while maintaining the position of the horizontal section when the conveyer is passing beneath the hopper during operation of the conveyor to maximize pellet loading efficiency based on the conveying characteristics of the pellet shaped articles; and

printing the indicia on the pellet shaped articles in the horizontal section during said step of selectively adjusting the loading angle of the ramped section of the conveyor.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the carrier bars have a plurality of corresponding surfaces, each said surface including at least one of said pockets, and wherein the loading step includes covering between about 40-90% of said plurality of surfaces initially loaded with the pellet shaped articles.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said covering step includes covering about 75-80% of each said surface.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of forming each of the pockets to have a shape that funnels the pellet shaped articles to a predetermined position for receiving the indicia.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of matching the shape of each of the pockets to the loading angle of the conveyor to maximize said pellet loading efficiency.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein said forming step includes forming the shape of each of the pockets to orient a portion of each of the pellet shaped articles to protrude a predetermined amount above a corresponding carrier bar surface, and said printing step includes applying the indicia on the portion of each of the pellet shaped articles using a contact type printing drum.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein said forming step includes forming the shape of each of the pockets to orient each of the pellet shaped articles completely within a corresponding carrier bar pocket and below a corresponding carrier bar surface, and said printing step includes jetting the indicia on each of the pellet shaped articles using an ink jet printer.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said conveying characteristics include dimensional aspects of the pellet shaped articles.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said adjusting step includes adjusting the loading angle between about 5-60 degrees.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said adjusting step includes adjusting the loading angle between about 5-60 degrees.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said printing step includes jetting the indicia on the pellet shaped articles using an ink jet printing device.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said printing step includes applying the indicia on the pellet shaped articles using a contact type printing drum.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising fixing the loading angle of the conveyor after said adjusting.

14. An apparatus for marking indicia on pellet shaped articles having a specified shape and size, said apparatus comprising:

a hopper containing a plurality of pellet shaped articles having variable conveying characteristics, said pellet shaped articles being placed within the hopper in a random order;

a conveyor having a ramped section and a horizontal section, said conveyor including a plurality of carrier bars passing beneath the hopper in said ramped section, said carrier bars including pockets structured to receive the pellet shaped articles from the hopper in the ramped section, said ramped section of the conveyor being inclined at a selectively adjustable loading angle, said conveyor being disposed in an environment having variable conveying conditions;

means for selectively adjusting the adjustable loading angle of the ramped section of the conveyor while maintaining the position of the horizontal section when the carrier bars pass beneath the hopper in the ramped section and contact said plurality of pellet shaped articles during operation of the conveyor to maximize pellet loading efficiency based on the pellet shaped articles; and

a printer disposed in the horizontal section of the conveyer for printing the indicia on the pellet shaped articles during adjustment of the adjustable loading angle of the ramped section of the conveyor.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the carrier bars have a plurality of corresponding surfaces, each said surface including at least one of said pockets, and wherein the pellet shaped articles cover between about 40-90% of said plurality of surfaces located in said hopper.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein each of the pockets has a shape that orients the pellet shaped articles to receive the indicia in a predetermined location.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the loading angle is between about 5-60 degrees, and wherein the apparatus further comprises means for matching the shape of each of the pockets to the loading angle of the conveyor such that the pellet loading efficiency is maximized.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein each of the pellet shaped articles includes a protrusion that protrudes a predetermined amount above a corresponding carrier bar surface, and the printer is a contact type printing drum that prints on the protrusion.

19. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein each of the pellet shaped articles is completely contained within a corresponding pocket and below a corresponding carrier bar surface, and said printer is an ink jet printer.

20. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the loading angle is between about 5-60 degrees.