Patent · US10709639B2 · B2 · US

Tablet printing apparatus and tablet printing method

(11) Publication number

US10709639B2

(21) Application number

16/059,097

(22) Filing date

2018-08-09

(30) Priority date

2016-02-24

(43) Publication date

2020-07-14

(45) Date of grant

2020-07-14

(51) IPC

A61J 3/00; A61J 3/06; B41J 11/00; B41J 2/21; B41J 21/00; B41J 29/387; B41J 3/407; B65H 5/22; B65H 7/14; B65H 7/20

(52) CPC

A61J Containers specially adapted for medical or pharmaceutical purposes; devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms; devices for administering food or medicines orally; baby comforters; devices for receiving spittle: 3/06, 3/007
B41F Printing machines or presses: 17/36
B41J Typewriters; selective printing mechanisms, i.e. mechanisms printing otherwise than from a forme; correction of typographical errors: 11/007, 2/2135, 2/2146, 21/00, 29/387, 3/407
B65G Transport or storage devices, e.g. conveyors for loading or tipping, shop conveyor systems or pneumatic tube conveyors: 15/58, 2201/027, 2203/0283, 2203/041, 43/00
B65H Handling thin or filamentary material, e.g. sheets, webs, cables: 2220/01, 2220/03, 2511/20, 2511/512, 2513/41, 2515/60, 2553/42, 5/224, 7/14, 7/20

(73) Assignee

Shibaura Mechatronics Corp

(72) Inventors

Azusa Hirano; Yasutsugu TSURUOKA

(54) Title

Tablet printing apparatus and tablet printing method

(57) Abstract

According to one embodiment, a tablet printing apparatus includes: a conveyor belt configured to convey a tablet; a print head configured to perform printing on the tablet conveyed by the conveyor belt; and a belt-position detector configured to detect the position of the conveyor belt in a direction crossing the conveying direction of the tablet in a horizontal plane. The conveyor belt includes a plurality of holes arranged in a row along the conveying direction of the tablet to hold the tablet. The belt-position detector includes an imaging device configured to capture an image of two or more of the holes; and an image processing device configured to detect the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction based on the image captured by the imaging device.

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Claims (14)

A tablet printing apparatus, comprising: a supplier configured to supply a tablet; a conveyor belt configured to convey the tablet supplied by the supplier; a print head configured to perform printing on the tablet conveyed by the conveyor belt; a belt-position detector configured to detect a position of the conveyor belt in a crossing direction, which crosses conveying direction of the tablet in a horizontal plane; and a controller, wherein the conveyor belt includes a plurality of holes arranged in a row along the conveying direction of the tablet, each configured to hold the tablet, the belt-position detector includes: an imaging device configured to capture an image of two or more of the holes; and an image processing device configured to detect the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction based on the image captured by the imaging device, and the controller is configured to: cause the imaging device to capture the image in a state where the supplier stops supplying the tablet; cause the imaging processing device to detect the position of the conveyor belt based on the image captured by the imaging device in a state where the supplier stops supplying the tablet; determine whether the position of the conveyor belt detected by the image processing device is within an allowable range; and cause the supplier to start the supply of the tablet when it is determined that the position of the conveyor belt detected by the image processing device is within the allowable range.
The tablet printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device is further configured to capture the image of the two or more of the holes while the conveyor belt is not moving, and the image processing device is further configured to detect an inclination degree of the conveyor belt with respect to the conveying direction of the tablet in the horizontal plane based on the image captured by the imaging device.
The tablet printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device is further configured to repeatedly capture the image of different ones of the holes while the conveyor belt is moving, and the image processing device is further configured to detect a weaving degree of the conveyor belt based on a plurality of images captured by the imaging device.
The tablet printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device is further configured to capture the image for either or both printing and print inspection.
The tablet printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device is configured to capture an image that indicates the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction, the tablet printing apparatus further comprising a display configured to display the image captured by the imaging device.
The tablet printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device includes a first imaging device located upstream of the print head in the conveying direction of the tablet and is configured to capture an image including an upper surface of the tablet conveyed by the conveyor belt, the imaging device is further configured to capture the image of the two or more of the holes by the first imaging device, and the image processing device is further configured to detect the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction based on the image captured by the first imaging device.
The tablet printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device includes a second imaging device located downstream of the print head in the conveying direction of the tablet and is configured to capture an image including an upper surface of the tablet conveyed by the conveyor belt after the print head has performed printing thereon, the imaging device is further configured to capture the image of the two or more of the holes by the second imaging device, and the image processing device is further configured to detect the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction based on the image captured by the second imaging device.
The tablet printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device includes: a first imaging device located upstream of the print head in the conveying direction of the tablet and configured to capture an image including an upper surface of the tablet conveyed by the conveyor belt; and a second imaging device located downstream of the print head in the conveying direction of the tablet and configured to capture an image including the upper surface of the tablet conveyed by the conveyor belt after the print head has performed printing thereon, and the imaging device is further configured to capture the image of the two or more of the holes by either or both of the first imaging device and the second imaging device, and the image processing device is further configured to detect the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction based on the image captured by either or both of the first imaging device and the second imaging device.
The tablet printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the imaging device to capture images for one rotation of the conveyor belt while the conveyor belt is moving and determine whether the position of the conveyor belt is within the allowable range based on the images captured by the imaging device.
The tablet printing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the imaging device to capture images for one rotation of the conveyor belt while the conveyor belt is moving and determine whether the position of the conveyor belt is within the allowable range based on the images captured by the imaging device.
The tablet printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the imaging device to capture images for one rotation of the conveyor belt while the conveyor belt is moving and determine whether the position of the conveyor belt is within the allowable range based on the images captured by the imaging device.
A tablet printing apparatus, comprising: a conveyor belt configured to convey a tablet; a print head configured to perform printing on the tablet conveyed by the conveyor belt; and a belt-position detector configured to detect a position of the conveyor belt in a crossing direction, which crosses a conveying direction of the tablet in a horizontal plane, wherein the conveyor belt includes a plurality of holes arranged in a row along the conveying direction of the tablet, each configured to hold the tablet, the belt-position detector includes: an imaging device configured to capture an image of two or more of the holes; and an image processing device configured to detect the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction based on the image captured by the imaging device, the print head is further configured to perform the printing based on a predetermined print pattern, the tablet printing apparatus further comprising a controller configured to: calculate a deviation amount by which the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction detected by the belt-position detector is deviated from a predetermined position; change the predetermined print pattern based on the deviation amount calculated; and cause the print head to perform the printing based on the print pattern changed.
A tablet printing method for conveying a tablet supplied by a supplier by a conveyor belt and performing printing on the tablet by a print head, wherein the conveyor belt includes a plurality of holes arranged in a row along conveying direction of the tablet, each configured to hold the tablet, the tablet printing method comprising: capturing an image of two or more of the holes by an imaging device in a state where the supplier stops supplying the tablet; detecting a position of the conveyor belt in a crossing direction, which crosses conveying direction of the tablet in a horizontal plane, based on the image captured by the imaging device in a state where the supplier stops supplying the tablet by an image processing device; determining whether the position of the conveyor belt detected by the image processing device is within an allowable range; and starting the supply of the tablet by the supplier when it is determined that the position of the conveyor belt detected by the image processing device is within the allowable range.
The tablet printing method according to claim 13, further comprising: capturing an image that indicates the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction by the imaging device when detecting the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction; and displaying the image captured by the imaging device on a display.

Description

Embodiments described herein relate generally to a tablet printing apparatus and a tablet printing method.

Recently, there has been known a tablet printing apparatus that uses an inkjet print head for printing identification information such as characters, letters, marks or the like on tablets. In the tablet printing apparatus, tablets are conveyed by a conveyor belt. Ink is ejected from a nozzle of the inkjet print head located above the conveyor belt toward each tablet passing under the print head to print identification information on the tablet. The conveyor belt is wrapped around, for example, a drive pulley and a driven pulley, and is driven by the rotation of the drive pulley and the driven pulley.

Generally, on the occasion of maintenance such as cleaning and replacement of the conveyor belt, the conveyor belt is once removed from the apparatus and attached back to the apparatus after completion of the maintenance. At this time, in order to prevent degradation of the print quality on tablets, the conveyor belt needs to be attached to a predetermined position. However, it is difficult to attach the removed conveyor belt to the same position with high accuracy (for example, with an accuracy of 1 mm or less), and the conveyor belt may be displaced so as to be inclined with respect to the (regular) conveying direction of tablets in a horizontal plane. When such a displacement of the conveyor belt occurs, the tablet passing under the print head deviates from its desired position. As a result, the print quality tends to degrade.

Citations (11)

JPH0620920A
JPH06115755A
JPH06239052A
JPH0781050A
JP2000221860A
US20090145729A1
JP2009149398A
JP2012091375A
US20120328337A1
KR20150037841A
US20140119782A1

Record as JSON

{
  "publication_number": "US10709639B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Tablet printing apparatus and tablet printing method",
  "abstract": "According to one embodiment, a tablet printing apparatus includes: a conveyor belt configured to convey a tablet; a print head configured to perform printing on the tablet conveyed by the conveyor belt; and a belt-position detector configured to detect the position of the conveyor belt in a direction crossing the conveying direction of the tablet in a horizontal plane. The conveyor belt includes a plurality of holes arranged in a row along the conveying direction of the tablet to hold the tablet. The belt-position detector includes an imaging device configured to capture an image of two or more of the holes; and an image processing device configured to detect the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction based on the image captured by the imaging device.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A tablet printing apparatus, comprising: a supplier configured to supply a tablet; a conveyor belt configured to convey the tablet supplied by the supplier; a print head configured to perform printing on the tablet conveyed by the conveyor belt; a belt-position detector configured to detect a position of the conveyor belt in a crossing direction, which crosses conveying direction of the tablet in a horizontal plane; and a controller, wherein the conveyor belt includes a plurality of holes arranged in a row along the conveying direction of the tablet, each configured to hold the tablet, the belt-position detector includes: an imaging device configured to capture an image of two or more of the holes; and an image processing device configured to detect the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction based on the image captured by the imaging device, and the controller is configured to: cause the imaging device to capture the image in a state where the supplier stops supplying the tablet; cause the imaging processing device to detect the position of the conveyor belt based on the image captured by the imaging device in a state where the supplier stops supplying the tablet; determine whether the position of the conveyor belt detected by the image processing device is within an allowable range; and cause the supplier to start the supply of the tablet when it is determined that the position of the conveyor belt detected by the image processing device is within the allowable range.",
    "2. The tablet printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device is further configured to capture the image of the two or more of the holes while the conveyor belt is not moving, and the image processing device is further configured to detect an inclination degree of the conveyor belt with respect to the conveying direction of the tablet in the horizontal plane based on the image captured by the imaging device.",
    "3. The tablet printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device is further configured to repeatedly capture the image of different ones of the holes while the conveyor belt is moving, and the image processing device is further configured to detect a weaving degree of the conveyor belt based on a plurality of images captured by the imaging device.",
    "4. The tablet printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device is further configured to capture the image for either or both printing and print inspection.",
    "5. The tablet printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device is configured to capture an image that indicates the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction, the tablet printing apparatus further comprising a display configured to display the image captured by the imaging device.",
    "6. The tablet printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device includes a first imaging device located upstream of the print head in the conveying direction of the tablet and is configured to capture an image including an upper surface of the tablet conveyed by the conveyor belt, the imaging device is further configured to capture the image of the two or more of the holes by the first imaging device, and the image processing device is further configured to detect the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction based on the image captured by the first imaging device.",
    "7. The tablet printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device includes a second imaging device located downstream of the print head in the conveying direction of the tablet and is configured to capture an image including an upper surface of the tablet conveyed by the conveyor belt after the print head has performed printing thereon, the imaging device is further configured to capture the image of the two or more of the holes by the second imaging device, and the image processing device is further configured to detect the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction based on the image captured by the second imaging device.",
    "8. The tablet printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device includes: a first imaging device located upstream of the print head in the conveying direction of the tablet and configured to capture an image including an upper surface of the tablet conveyed by the conveyor belt; and a second imaging device located downstream of the print head in the conveying direction of the tablet and configured to capture an image including the upper surface of the tablet conveyed by the conveyor belt after the print head has performed printing thereon, and the imaging device is further configured to capture the image of the two or more of the holes by either or both of the first imaging device and the second imaging device, and the image processing device is further configured to detect the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction based on the image captured by either or both of the first imaging device and the second imaging device.",
    "9. The tablet printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the imaging device to capture images for one rotation of the conveyor belt while the conveyor belt is moving and determine whether the position of the conveyor belt is within the allowable range based on the images captured by the imaging device.",
    "10. The tablet printing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the imaging device to capture images for one rotation of the conveyor belt while the conveyor belt is moving and determine whether the position of the conveyor belt is within the allowable range based on the images captured by the imaging device.",
    "11. The tablet printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the imaging device to capture images for one rotation of the conveyor belt while the conveyor belt is moving and determine whether the position of the conveyor belt is within the allowable range based on the images captured by the imaging device.",
    "12. A tablet printing apparatus, comprising: a conveyor belt configured to convey a tablet; a print head configured to perform printing on the tablet conveyed by the conveyor belt; and a belt-position detector configured to detect a position of the conveyor belt in a crossing direction, which crosses a conveying direction of the tablet in a horizontal plane, wherein the conveyor belt includes a plurality of holes arranged in a row along the conveying direction of the tablet, each configured to hold the tablet, the belt-position detector includes: an imaging device configured to capture an image of two or more of the holes; and an image processing device configured to detect the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction based on the image captured by the imaging device, the print head is further configured to perform the printing based on a predetermined print pattern, the tablet printing apparatus further comprising a controller configured to: calculate a deviation amount by which the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction detected by the belt-position detector is deviated from a predetermined position; change the predetermined print pattern based on the deviation amount calculated; and cause the print head to perform the printing based on the print pattern changed.",
    "13. A tablet printing method for conveying a tablet supplied by a supplier by a conveyor belt and performing printing on the tablet by a print head, wherein the conveyor belt includes a plurality of holes arranged in a row along conveying direction of the tablet, each configured to hold the tablet, the tablet printing method comprising: capturing an image of two or more of the holes by an imaging device in a state where the supplier stops supplying the tablet; detecting a position of the conveyor belt in a crossing direction, which crosses conveying direction of the tablet in a horizontal plane, based on the image captured by the imaging device in a state where the supplier stops supplying the tablet by an image processing device; determining whether the position of the conveyor belt detected by the image processing device is within an allowable range; and starting the supply of the tablet by the supplier when it is determined that the position of the conveyor belt detected by the image processing device is within the allowable range.",
    "14. The tablet printing method according to claim 13, further comprising: capturing an image that indicates the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction by the imaging device when detecting the position of the conveyor belt in the crossing direction; and displaying the image captured by the imaging device on a display."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Embodiments described herein relate generally to a tablet printing apparatus and a tablet printing method.\n\nRecently, there has been known a tablet printing apparatus that uses an inkjet print head for printing identification information such as characters, letters, marks or the like on tablets. In the tablet printing apparatus, tablets are conveyed by a conveyor belt. Ink is ejected from a nozzle of the inkjet print head located above the conveyor belt toward each tablet passing under the print head to print identification information on the tablet. The conveyor belt is wrapped around, for example, a drive pulley and a driven pulley, and is driven by the rotation of the drive pulley and the driven pulley.\n\nGenerally, on the occasion of maintenance such as cleaning and replacement of the conveyor belt, the conveyor belt is once removed from the apparatus and attached back to the apparatus after completion of the maintenance. At this time, in order to prevent degradation of the print quality on tablets, the conveyor belt needs to be attached to a predetermined position. However, it is difficult to attach the removed conveyor belt to the same position with high accuracy (for example, with an accuracy of 1 mm or less), and the conveyor belt may be displaced so as to be inclined with respect to the (regular) conveying direction of tablets in a horizontal plane. When such a displacement of the conveyor belt occurs, the tablet passing under the print head deviates from its desired position. As a result, the print quality tends to degrade.",
  "cpc": [
    "A61J 3/06",
    "A61J 3/007",
    "B41F 17/36",
    "B41J 11/007",
    "B41J 2/2135",
    "B41J 2/2146",
    "B41J 21/00",
    "B41J 29/387",
    "B41J 3/407",
    "B65G 15/58",
    "B65G 2201/027",
    "B65G 2203/0283",
    "B65G 2203/041",
    "B65G 43/00",
    "B65H 2220/01",
    "B65H 2220/03",
    "B65H 2511/20",
    "B65H 2511/512",
    "B65H 2513/41",
    "B65H 2515/60",
    "B65H 2553/42",
    "B65H 5/224",
    "B65H 7/14",
    "B65H 7/20"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A61J 3/00",
    "A61J 3/06",
    "B41J 11/00",
    "B41J 2/21",
    "B41J 21/00",
    "B41J 29/387",
    "B41J 3/407",
    "B65H 5/22",
    "B65H 7/14",
    "B65H 7/20"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Shibaura Mechatronics Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Azusa Hirano",
    "Yasutsugu TSURUOKA"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2018-08-09",
  "publication_date": "2020-07-14",
  "grant_date": "2020-07-14",
  "priority_date": "2016-02-24",
  "application_number": "US-201816059097-A",
  "family_id": "59686187",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "JPH0620920A",
    "JPH06115755A",
    "JPH06239052A",
    "JPH0781050A",
    "JP2000221860A",
    "US20090145729A1",
    "JP2009149398A",
    "JP2012091375A",
    "US20120328337A1",
    "KR20150037841A",
    "US20140119782A1"
  ]
}

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