A carrier link to convey at least one pellet-shaped article along a predetermined conveyer path in a direction of travel includes at least one pocket adapted to receive a pellet-shaped article and a lead-in surface provided to an upper exterior surface of the carrier link and extending into leading edges of the pocket. Each pocket includes a longitudinal axis that is transverse to a direction of travel of the carrier link. The lead-in surface provides a ramped or declined surface into the pocket to facilitate entry of the pellet-shaped article into the pocket. The lead-in surface is ramped or declined towards a side of the carrier link to facilitate rotating, guiding, and/or orienting of the pellet-shaped article into the pocket.

A carrier link to convey at least one pellet-shaped article along a predetermined conveyer path in a direction of travel includes at least one pocket adapted to receive a pellet-shaped article and a lead-in surface provided to an upper exterior surface of the carrier link and extending into leading edges of the pocket. Each pocket includes a longitudinal axis that is transverse to a direction of travel of the carrier link. The lead-in surface provides a ramped or declined surface into the pocket to facilitate entry of the pellet-shaped article into the pocket. The lead-in surface is ramped or declined towards a side of the carrier link to facilitate rotating, guiding, and/or orienting of the pellet-shaped article into the pocket.

According to one embodiment, a tablet printing apparatus includes: a first rotator having an inner space; a duct configured to communicate with the inner space of the first rotator; a suction pipe configured to suck inside the duct; a second rotator arranged to face the first rotator across the duct; a conveyor belt wrapped around the first rotator and the second rotator; and a print head that performs printing on a tablet held on the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt includes a plurality of suction holes which communicate with the inner space of the first rotator and that of the duct, and are arranged in the rotation direction of the first rotator. The first rotator and the duct constitutes a suction chamber that applies a suction force to those of the suction holes of the conveyor belt located around the outer periphery of the first rotator and the duct.

According to one embodiment, a tablet printing apparatus includes: a first rotator having an inner space; a duct configured to communicate with the inner space of the first rotator; a suction pipe configured to suck inside the duct; a second rotator arranged to face the first rotator across the duct; a conveyor belt wrapped around the first rotator and the second rotator; and a print head that performs printing on a tablet held on the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt includes a plurality of suction holes which communicate with the inner space of the first rotator and that of the duct, and are arranged in the rotation direction of the first rotator. The first rotator and the duct constitutes a suction chamber that applies a suction force to those of the suction holes of the conveyor belt located around the outer periphery of the first rotator and the duct.

The invention relates to a pad printing instrument comprising an ink supply system capable of control the temperature, viscosity and colorant concentration of an ink in an ink cup. Such controls are achieved by continuously adding and mixing a cold ink having a composition identical to the ink in the ink cup but having a lower temperature. The continuous addition of a small amount of a cold ink into the ink cup could compensate heat generated by the friction between the ink cup and a clich and could minimize the evaporation of a diluent in the ink and change in the concentration of colorants in the ink and ink viscosity. The invention also relates to use of a pad printing instrument comprising an ink supply system of the invention for producing colored hydrogel or silicone hydrogel contact lenses.

According to one embodiment, a tablet printing apparatus includes: a conveyor belt configured to convey a tablet; a first suction path configured to suck the tablet to hold the tablet on the conveyor belt and suck the conveyor belt while allowing the conveyor belt to convey the tablet; a second suction path configured as a different path from the first suction path to suck only the conveyor belt while allowing the conveyor belt to convey the tablet; and a printer configured to perform printing on the tablet conveyed by the conveyor belt.

An exemplary method of printing medications on digestible substrates is described. Single component nonmagnetic toners with active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) embedded or dissolved in the toner are used. The binders for the toner are digestible. The printing process includes loading the single component non-magnetic toners from a sump to a donor roll and developing them either directly onto the substrate or through the use of an intermediate member. Traditional xerographic charge and exposure can be used to make the tablet imprints. Dosage is controlled through solid area or halftone development (when charge and exposure are used). The printed first layer may undergo cold or warm pressure fusing. This medicament layer is then subjected to another station to print a second layer of medical tablet. Multiple stations may be used to build up a complete personalized tablet. Optionally, a final station prints protective overcoat materials to finalize the tablet.

An exemplary method of printing medications on digestible substrates is described. Single component nonmagnetic toners with active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) embedded or dissolved in the toner are used. The binders for the toner are digestible. The printing process includes loading the single component non-magnetic toners from a sump to a donor roll and developing them either directly onto the substrate or through the use of an intermediate member. Traditional xerographic charge and exposure can be used to make the tablet imprints. Dosage is controlled through solid area or halftone development (when charge and exposure are used). The printed first layer may undergo cold or warm pressure fusing. This medicament layer is then subjected to another station to print a second layer of medical tablet. Multiple stations may be used to build up a complete personalized tablet. Optionally, a final station prints protective overcoat materials to finalize the tablet.

A data acquiring apparatus includes: an acquirer that acquires feature data, as registration data, from an image including an object to be registered, the feature data representing a feature that is distributed in a region of a predetermined size determined based on a position defined by an external shape of the object and a position of printing information that has been printed on the object; and a memory that stores the registration data acquired by the acquirer as data for determining identity of the object.

A data acquiring apparatus includes: an acquirer that acquires feature data, as registration data, from an image including an object to be registered, the feature data representing a feature that is distributed in a region of a predetermined size determined based on a position defined by an external shape of the object and a position of printing information that has been printed on the object; and a memory that stores the registration data acquired by the acquirer as data for determining identity of the object.