Method and apparatus for packaging products with different markings

• US 6,658,817 B1
• Filed: 06/25/2001
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inca Digital Printers Limited (Agfa-Gevaert N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Inca Digital Printers Limited (Agfa-Gevaert N.V.)
• Inventors: Baxter, William Ronald Stuart, Eve, Richard William
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick, Anthony D.
• Application Number:
  US09/787,684
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 534/11, 531/312, 531/314, 534/43, 535/31, 101/42, 101/43, 400/120.1
• US Class Current: 53/411
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/04 Packaging single articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 61/26 for marking or coding completed packages
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 63/005 for marking or coding articles prior to packaging

Abstract

A method of and apparatus for producing a mixed batch of consumer products without the use of a mechanical mixer to carry out the mixing. An image sequencing means is provided which sequences images to be printed by a digitally-controlled printhead. Varying images are placed on consumer products or parts thereof—e.g. cigarette cards—as those products or parts of products pass under the printhead at a point in the production line. The consumer products, once assembled, are packaged directly from the production line to form mixed batches of product—without an additional mixing step.

Claims

1. A production, mixing and packaging method that produces a plurality of mixed groups of consumer products, wherein each of the mixed groups of consumer products comprises at least two consumer products that differ from each other in that at least a part or component of one of the at least two consumer products has an image printed on it that is different from an image printed on at least a part or component of another of the at least two consumer products, the method comprising:

a. providing at least one digitally-controlled printhead at a point in a production line such that the printhead is able to print on at least a part or a component of a consumer product as it passes the at least one printhead;

b. providing an image storage device that contains data relating to a plurality of different images;

c. providing an image sequencer that sets a sequence in which the stored images are to be printed, thereby determining the mix of consumer products in each mixed group of consumer products;

d. digitally controlling the printhead to print the images on at least a part or a component of a consumer product as it passes the at least one printhead based on the data in the image storage device as sequenced by the image sequencer; and

e. packaging a plurality of consumer products into a single unit in order to produce one of the plurality of mixed groups of consumer products;

whereby, the plurality of mixed groups of consumer products are produced, mixed and packaged without there being a step of mechanically mixing products or parts or components thereof.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein at least some of the consumer products include constituent parts or components and further comprising the step of, prior to step e, assembling the at least some of the consumer products from their constituent parts or components.

3. A production, mixing and packaging method according to claim 2 wherein providing at least one digitally-controlled printhead at a point in a production line includes locating the printhead at a point in the production line separate from an assembly section of the production line, and further comprising printing the images on a web that is subsequently transferred to the assembly section of the production line for assembly into an assembled consumer product.

4. A production, mixing and packaging method according to claim 1 wherein providing at least one digitally-controlled printhead at a point in a production line includes providing a drop-on-demand ink-jet printhead.

5. A production, mixing, and packaging method according to claim 1 wherein providing an image storage device includes providing decorative images that may be used for promotional purposes.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein providing an image storage device includes providing images that include text.

7. A method according to claim 1 including the step of printing the images in an ordered sequence.

8. A method according to claim 1 including the step of printing the images in a random order.

9. A method according to claim 1 including the step of printing the images in a sequence whereby a certain image is printed with greater frequency than another.

10. A method of producing a group of consumer products, the group of consumer products comprising at least two consumer products that differ from each other in that at least a part or a component of one of the at least two consumer products has an image printed on it that is different from an image printed on at least a part or a component of another of the at least two consumer products, the method comprising:

a. setting a sequence of stored images to be printed, thereby determining the mix of consumer products in the group of consumer products;

b. printing images of the sequence of stored images, using a digitally-controlled printhead, on at least a part or a component of the at least two consumer products;

whereby, the group of consumer products is produced without there being a step of mechanically mixing products or parts or components thereof.

11. An apparatus for the production of a plurality of mixed groups of consumer products, wherein each of the mixed groups of consumer products comprises at least two consumer products that differ from each other in that at least a part or a component of one of the at least two consumer products has an image printed on it that is different from an image printed on at least a part or a component of another of the at least two consumer products, the apparatus comprising:

a. at least one digitally-controlled printhead arranged at a point in a production line such that the at least one printhead may print on at least a part or a component of a consumer product as it passes the at least one printhead;

b. an image storing device for containing data relating to a plurality of different images;

c. an image-sequencer adapted to set a sequence in which the stored images are to be printed;

d. a control device for digitally controlling the printhead to print the images on at least a part or a component of a consumer product as it passes the at least one printhead based on the data in the image storing device as sequenced by the image sequencer; and

e. a packaging device for packaging a plurality of consumer products into a single unit in order to produce one of the plurality of mixed groups of consumer products;

whereby, the apparatus is adapted such that the plurality of mixed groups of consumer products are produced, mixed and packaged without there being a step of mechanically mixing products or parts or components thereof.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein at least some of the consumer products include constituent parts or components and further comprising an assembly device for assembling at least one of the consumer products from its constituent parts or components.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the image sequencer is programmed to print the images in an ordered sequence.

14. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the image sequencer is programmed to print the images in a random sequence.

15. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the image sequencer is programmed to print the images in a sequence whereby a certain image is printed with a greater frequency than another.

16. An apparatus for producing a group of consumer products, the group of consumer products comprising at least two consumer products that differ from each other in that at least a part or a component of one of the at least two consumer products has an image printed on it that is different from an image printed on at least a part or a component of another of the at least two consumer products, the apparatus comprising:

a. a processor for setting a sequence of stored images to be printed thereby determining the mix of consumer products in the group of consumer products;

b. a digitally-controlled printhead;

c. a control device for effecting the printing of images of the sequence of stored images using the printhead, on at least a part or a component of the at least two consumer products;

whereby, the group of consumer products is produced without there being a step of mechanically mixing products or parts or components thereof.

17. A delivery method for delivering mixed groups of consumer products to a consumer-sales outlet, the method comprising:

a. providing at least one digitally-controlled printhead at a point in a production line such that the printhead is able to print on at least a part or a component of a consumer product as it passes the at least one printhead;

b. providing an image storage device that contains data relating to a plurality of different images;

c. providing an image sequencer that sets a sequence in which the stored images are to be printed, thereby determining the mix of consumer products in each mixed group of consumer products;

d. digitally controlling the printhead to print the images on at least a part or a component of a consumer product as it passes the at least one printhead based on the data in the image storage device as sequenced by the image sequencer;

e. packaging a plurality of consumer products into a single unit in order to produce one of the plurality of mixed groups of consumer products; and

f. transporting at least one mixed group of consumer products, via a distribution chain, to a consumer sales outlet.

whereby, the plurality of mixed groups of consumer products are produced, mixed, packaged, and delivered without there being a step of mechanically mixing products or parts or components thereof.

18. A method of printing batches of products wherein each of the batches includes at least two products that differ from each other in that at least a part or a component of one of the at least two products has an image printed on it that is different than at least a part or a component of another of the at least two products, the method of printing comprising:

a. positioning at least one printer at a point in a production line such that the printer is able to print on at least a part or a component of a product as it passes the at least one printer;

b. providing a plurality of different images;

c. sequencing the images in a sequence in which the images are to be printed on the products thereby determining the mix of products in each batch; and

d. controlling the at least one printer to print the images on at least a part or a component of the product as it passes the at least one printer in the sequence whereby each batch of products is produced without there being a step of mechanically mixing the products or parts or components thereof.

19. The method of printing of claim 18 wherein sequencing the images in a sequence includes generating a random sequence.

20. The method of printing of claim 18 wherein sequencing the images in a sequence includes generating a serial sequence.

21. The method of printing of claim 18 wherein sequencing the images in a sequence includes providing a specified frequency for each image.

22. The method of printing of claim 18 wherein positioning at least one printer includes positioning a drop-on-demand inkjet printer.

23. The method of printing of claim 18 wherein providing a plurality of different images includes providing an image that includes text.

24. The method of printing of claim 18 wherein providing a plurality of different images includes providing an image that includes a graphic.

25. The method of printing of claim 18 wherein providing a plurality of different images includes providing an image that includes both text and a graphic.