Method and apparatus for laser marking objects

• US 8,884,185 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2011
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yta Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Ten Media Llc
• Inventors: Griffiths, Michael John, Fox, Yancy Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, Geoffrey S
• Application Number:
  US13/289,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20120114820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 219/121.68, 219/121.69, 700/166, 347/224, 347/225, 347/233
• US Class Current: 219/121.68
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 43/10 Grading and stamping
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 15/00 Egg products; Preparation or treatment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/32 Material from living organisms, e.g. skins
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0006 taking account of the properties of the material involved B23K26/32, B23K26/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/359 by providing a line or line pattern, e.g. a dotted break initiation line
• 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: B41M 5/24 Ablative recording, e.g. by burning marks; Spark recording marking by high energetic means, e.g. by laser otherwise than burning or ablative removal B41M5/26; materials or methods for recording or reproduction by optical means G11B7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 1/228 by laser radiation

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.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising at least one processor configured to:

access first vector information defining a plurality of vectors;

determine whether a first vector of the plurality of vectors comprises one or more points of coincidence with a second vector of the plurality of vectors; and

generate second vector information for controlling at least one printing unit to print the plurality of vectors on an edible object by applying radiant energy to a surface of the edible object, wherein;

if it is determined that the first vector comprises one or more points of coincidence with the second vector, the at least one processor is configured to, for at least one point of one or more points of coincidence, include in the second vector information control information for controlling the at least one printing unit to avoid applying radiant energy at the at least one point when printing the first vector.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control information comprises information for controlling the at least one printing unit to turn off a radiant energy source when the at least one point is reached.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine whether the first vector comprises one or more points of coincidence with the second vector at least in part by determining whether the first and second vectors are so close to each other that a first printed line corresponding to the first vector and a second printed line corresponding to the second vector are likely to overlap due to widths of the first and second printed lines.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to distribute the second vector information via at least one network to a facility at which the at least one printing unit operates.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to include in the second vector information speed information indicative of a desired printing speed for printing the plurality of vectors.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine the desired printing speed for printing the plurality of vectors based at least in part on a length of a time window available for printing the plurality of vectors.

7. A method comprising acts of:

accessing, from at least one storage device, first vector information defining a plurality of vectors;

using at least one processor to determine whether a first vector of the plurality of vectors comprises one or more points of coincidence with a second vector of the plurality of vectors; and

using the at least one processor to generate second vector information for controlling at least one printing unit to print the plurality of vectors on an edible object by applying radiant energy to a surface of the edible object, wherein;

if it is determined that the first vector comprises one or more points of coincidence with the second vector, the method further comprises, for at least one point of one or more points of coincidence, including in the second vector information control information for controlling the at least one printing unit to avoid applying radiant energy at the at least one point when printing the first vector.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the control information comprises information for controlling the at least one printing unit to turn off a radiant energy source when the at least one point is reached.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the act of using at least one processor to determine whether the first vector comprises one or more points of coincidence with the second vector comprises determining whether the first and second vectors are so close to each other that a first printed line corresponding to the first vector and a second printed line corresponding to the second vector are likely to overlap due to widths of the first and second printed lines.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising an act of distributing the second vector information via at least one network to a facility at which the at least one printing unit operates.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising an act of:

including in the second vector information speed information indicative of a desired printing speed for printing the plurality of vectors.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising an act of:

using the at least one processor to determine the desired printing speed for printing the plurality of vectors based at least in part on a length of a time window available for printing the plurality of vectors.