Imprinted paintball and apparatus and method for manufacturing same

A rotary die apparatus for forming imprinted gel capsules comprising:

• a) a spreader box adapted to hold a flowable gel mass, with said spreader box defining a spreader box opening that is adapted to enable operative flow of the gel mass therethrough;
• b) a rotatable casting drum having an exterior cast surface, with said cast surface being provided with surface configurations in embossed relation thereon, and with a receiving portion of said cast surface being in substantial registration with said spreader box opening so as to be adapted to directly receive a dispensed portion of the gel mass therefrom;
• wherein said casting drum operatively rotates with at least one rotating speed and is adapted to operatively drag the dispensed portion of the gel mass from said spreader box opening to solidify and form said imprinted gel ribbon, with said surface configurations on said cast surface of said casting drum being adapted to form, in relief, an imprinted design in one side of said imprinted gel ribbon;
• c) transport means for providing a pair of said imprinted gel ribbons towards a pair of rotary dies;
• and
• d) dispensing means for dispensing a fill material to an injection wedge located between said rotary dies.

A method for producing an imprinted gel ribbon useful for forming imprinted gel capsules comprising:

• a) providing a casting drum having an exterior cast surface with surface configurations formed in embossed relation thereon;
• b) flowing a dispensed portion of a gel mass contained in a spreader box, through a spreader box opening therein, directly onto a receiving portion of said exterior cast surface of said casting drum;
• and
• c) rotating said casting drum so as to drag and solidify said dispensed portion of said gel mass, such that said imprinted gel ribbon is formed, with said surface configurations on said cast surface of said casting drum forming, in relief, an imprinted design in one side of said imprinted gel ribbon.

A method for producing an imprinted gel capsule comprising:

• a) forming a pair of imprinted gel ribbons by
• i) providing a casting drum having an exterior cast surface with surface configurations in embossed relation thereon;
• ii) flowing a dispensed portion of a gel mass contained in a spreader box, through a spreader box opening therein, directly onto a receiving portion of said exterior cast surface of said casting drum;
• and
• iii) rotating said casting drum so as to drag and solidify said dispensed portion of said gel mass, such that each of said imprinted gel ribbons is formed, with said surface configurations on said cast surface of said casting drum forming, in relief, an imprinted design in one side of each of said imprinted gel ribbons;
• b) feeding the ribbons between a pair of rotary dies containing matching die pockets, whereby a single web of imprinted gel material is formed having encapsulated pocket portions defined therewithin;
• and
• c) filling the encapsulated pocket portions with a fill material.