Atrion Medical Products, Inc.

Atrion Medical Product. Inc.

Greg Drouillard

Rowland W Kanner

A produce (e.g. fruits and vegetables) marking system is used to etch the skin of a piece of produce with an identifying mark. The first embodiment of the system uses a laser to emit a high intensity light beam to form the identifying mark. The second and third embodiments of the system use a dot matrix printer head. In the second embodiment, the pins of the printer head directly contact the produce skin to etch an area of the skin to form the identifying mark. In the third embodiment, a thermally conductive ribbon member is placed between the printer head and the produce. The pins of the printer head impact the ribbon member thereby forming a hot spot on the ribbon member, which in turn, etches the skin of the produce to form the identifying mark.

Produce marking system

A method of marking the skin of a piece of produce with an identifying mark includes the steps of: providing a piece of produce; providing a laser which emits a high intensity light beam to mark the skin of the produce and which laser light beam can be controlled such that a depth of the mark formed on the skin is controlled; relatively moving the piece of produce and the laser; directing the laser light beam along a predetermined path along the produce skin which corresponds to the identifying mark to be applied on the produce skin; and controlling the depth the laser light beam impacts the produce skin such that identifying mark does not penetrate completely through the produce skin to the meat of the produce. Movement of the piece of produce is effected past the laser device while effecting movement of the laser device relative to the piece of produce. To mark the produce skin, the color of an area of the produce skin may be changed to form the identifying mark or the skin may be etched to form the identifying mark.

Growing community of inventors

Lakeland, FL, United States of America

Greg Drouillard