Method and apparatus for printing on tablets
First Claim
1. A tablet printing apparatus for printing on tablets comprising:
- a tablet supplying unit configured to supply tablets;
a distributing unit configured to distribute supplied tablets in a predetermined plurality of rows;
a tablet conveying unit configured to convey distributed tablets along plural conveyance paths corresponding to the plurality of rows and extending in a conveyance direction, whereby the tablets are suction-held on at least a portion of each respective conveyance path and the tablets are conveyed randomly in the conveyance direction;
a tablet detecting unit configured to detect the tablets during conveyance by said tablet conveying unit whereby the tablet detecting unit detects positions and orientations of the tablets and detects a heads or tails state of two opposite sides of the tablets and produces corresponding data;
a contactless-printing unit to print on the tablets contactlessly during conveyance by said tablet conveying unit based on data produced by said tablet detecting unit;
a tablet inspection unit to check a printing state on the tablets; and
a defective rejection unit to reject a defective tablet during conveyance of the tablets in the plurality of rows, said defective tablet being determined to include a printing failure based on a check result of said tablet inspection unit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
13 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A tablet printing apparatus for printing on tablets comprising:
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a tablet supplying unit configured to supply tablets; a distributing unit configured to distribute supplied tablets in a predetermined plurality of rows; a tablet conveying unit configured to convey distributed tablets along plural conveyance paths corresponding to the plurality of rows and extending in a conveyance direction, whereby the tablets are suction-held on at least a portion of each respective conveyance path and the tablets are conveyed randomly in the conveyance direction; a tablet detecting unit configured to detect the tablets during conveyance by said tablet conveying unit whereby the tablet detecting unit detects positions and orientations of the tablets and detects a heads or tails state of two opposite sides of the tablets and produces corresponding data; a contactless-printing unit to print on the tablets contactlessly during conveyance by said tablet conveying unit based on data produced by said tablet detecting unit; a tablet inspection unit to check a printing state on the tablets; and a defective rejection unit to reject a defective tablet during conveyance of the tablets in the plurality of rows, said defective tablet being determined to include a printing failure based on a check result of said tablet inspection unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for printing on tablets comprising:
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a distributing process for distributing tablets in a predetermined plurality of rows; a conveying process for conveying the tablets along plural conveyance paths corresponding to the predetermined plurality of rows and extending in a conveyance direction, whereby the tablets are suction-held on at least a portion of each respective conveyance path and the tablets are conveyed randomly in the conveyance direction; a detecting process for detecting the tablets during conveyance in said conveying process, including detecting positions and orientations of the tablets and detecting a heads or tails state of two opposite sides of the tablets; a printing process for contactless-printing on the tablets during conveyance in said conveying process based on data detected in said detecting process; an inspection process for checking a printing state on the tablets; and a rejection process for rejecting a defective tablet during conveyance of the tablets in the plurality of rows of the tablets, said defective tablet being determined to include a printing failure based on a check result in said inspection process. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A method of printing on tablets, comprising steps:
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a) feeding and distributing tablets into plural rows of said tablets onto a conveyor apparatus, so that said rows have a fixed lateral spacing therebetween, and in each one of said rows there are random longitudinal spacing intervals between successive ones of said tablets in a longitudinal conveyance direction of said conveyor apparatus; b) using said conveyor apparatus, conveying said tablets in said longitudinal conveyance direction while maintaining said random longitudinal spacing intervals between said successive tablets in said longitudinal conveyance direction and maintaining said rows of said tablets with said fixed lateral spacing therebetween; c) using a sensor device, detecting at least one feature of said tablets during said conveying, and producing corresponding detection data; and d) using a contactless printing device, printing in a contactless manner on said tablets dependent on said detection data during said conveying.
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Specification