Method and apparatus for spin printing indicia on pellet shaped articles

A method for spin printing pellet shaped articles, comprising:

• distributing the pellet shaped articles on a moving conveyor;
• transporting the pellet shaped articles to a printing roller positioned a predetermined distance from the conveyor;
• printing a band of indicia onto the pellet shaped articles;
• detecting information associated with a length of the band of indicia of one of the pellet shaped articles;
• and
• adjusting the predetermined distance of the printing roller to the conveyor based on the detected information, thereby changing the length of the band of indicia printed onto the pellet shaped articles.

A spin printing apparatus, comprising:

• a conveyor including at least one pocket for receiving a pellet shaped article;
• a printing roller adjacent the conveyor, the printing roller providing a predetermined amount of indicia to the pellet shaped article under a selected contact force to form a band of indicia;
• a detection unit that automatically detects information associated with a length of the band of indicia;
• and
• a device that adjusts the selected contact force based on the detected information to change a length of a band of the predetermined amount of indicia.

A method for spin printing pellet shaped articles, comprising:

• transporting the pellet shaped articles to a printing roller that transfers indicia to the pellet shaped articles under a contact force to form a band of indicia on the pellet shaped articles;
• detecting information associated with a length of the band of indicia of one of the pellet shaped articles;
• and
• adjusting the contact force based on the detected information to change the length of the band of indicia transferred to a circumference of the pellet shaped articles.

A spin printing apparatus, comprising:

• a conveyor including at least one pocket for receiving at least one of a caplet and a capsule having a circumference;
• a printing roller frictionally engaging the caplet or capsule a predetermined amount to selectively print a band of indicia along an entire circumference of the caplet or capsule;
• a detection unit that automatically detects information associated with a length of the band of indicia;
• and
• a device that adjusts the predetermined amount the printing roller frictionally engages the caplet or capsule based on the detected information to change the length of the band of the indicia.

A method for spin printing indicia onto pellet shaped articles, comprising:

• transporting the pellet shaped articles to a printing roller that transfers a band of indicia onto an entire circumference of the pellet shaped articles by frictionally engaging the pellet shaped articles;
• detecting information associated with a length of the band of indicia of one of the pellet shaped articles;
• and
• adjusting an amount the printing roller frictionally engages the pellet shaped articles based on the detected information to change a length of a band of indicia transferred to the pellet shaped articles.