Methods and systems for inspection and/or identification of pellet-shaped articles

Abstract

A conveyer mechanism ( 110 ) may include one or more composition inspection units provided along the intended product transport path. The product's composition, e.g., it's ink composition, is compared with a predetermined standard, to determine whether the product is acceptable. A bar code ( 48, 45.1, 47.1, 85 ) may be provided to an external surface of the article for identification/traceability purposes.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A pellet-shaped article including at least one exposed surface including at least one bar code. 
     
     
         14 . A pellet-shaped article according to  claim 13 , wherein the at least one bar code is selected from at least one of a linear bar code, a stacked bar code, a 2D code, a uniform product code, a micro PDF code, a Smart code, an RSS limited code, an RSS limited composite code, an RSS stacked code, an RSS expanded code, and an RSS expanded composite code. 
     
     
         15 . A pellet-shaped article according to  claim 13 , wherein the bar code is invisible to the naked eye. 
     
     
         16 . A pellet-shaped article according to  claim 15 , wherein the bar code is provided by providing a clear layer on the article, and laser etching the bar code into the clear layer. 
     
     
         17 . A pellet-shaped article according to  claim 13 , wherein the pellet-shaped article includes a lentil or tablet shape. 
     
     
         18 . A pellet-shaped article according to  claim 13 , wherein the pellet-shaped article has a capsule or caplet shape, and the bar code is provided along a circumferential portion of the article. 
     
     
         19 . A pellet-shaped article according to  claim 13 , wherein the article is a tablet including a first side, a second side and an edge joining the first and second sides, the edge including the bar code. 
     
     
         20 . A spin printer for providing bar codes on a surface of a plurality of capsules or caplets, the spin printer comprising:
 at least a first drum unit that spins about a drum axis with each of said capsules or caplets carried by the first drum and having a product axis oriented substantially parallel to the drum axis, the first drum unit being structured to allow spinning of each product along the product axis; and   a bar code unit to provide a machine-readable bar code on a circumferential surface of each of the capsules or caplets as each product is spun about the respective product axis.   
     
     
         21 . A spin printer according to  claim 20 , wherein the bar code unit includes at least one of a contact printer and a non-contact printer. 
     
     
         22 . A spin printer according to  claim 21 , wherein the non-contact printer includes an ink jet printer. 
     
     
         23 . A spin printer according to  claim 21 , wherein the non-contact printer includes a laser unit. 
     
     
         24 . A spin printer according to  claim 23 , wherein the laser unit includes a stencil having cut outs in the shape of the bar code. 
     
     
         25 . A spin printer according to  claim 20 , wherein the bar code is provided along the entire circumference of the article. 
     
     
         26 . A spin printer according to  claim 20 , wherein the bar code is provided in a spiral along the product axis. 
     
     
         27 . A method for providing identification to individual pellet-shaped articles, including applying a bar code to an external surface of each of the articles. 
     
     
         28 . A method for providing identification to individual pellet-shaped articles as claimed in  claim 27 , further comprising providing the external surface with a photo-resist layer and removing portions of the article to create the bar code, in conjunction with the patterning of the photo-resist layer. 
     
     
         29 . A method for providing identification to the individual pellet-shaped articles as claimed in  claim 27 , further comprising providing the article with a clear layer onto which the bar code is provided, such that the bar code is invisible to the naked eye.