The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 30, 1997
Filed:
Apr. 10, 1996
Ludwig O Simmet, Madison, WI (US);
Minitube of America, Inc., Verona, WI (US);
Abstract
Two opposed inkjet print heads direct ink droplets to opposite sides of a cylindrical elongated plastic straw containing biological products such as semen or ova. The print heads are controlled by a computer to print multiple lines of text or data as the straw is advanced by dual parallel drive belts through a bridge which has an straw-directing infeed channel. The straw is discharged from the channel through an unobstructed window in the bridge which is positioned in the path of the two print heads. Downstream of the window the straw passes over portions of the bridge which form a shelf with open sides, on which the straw is supported until it is engaged by the outfeed portions of the dual belts which remove the printed straw from the bridge. The construction of the bridge ensures accurate positioning of the straw, while minimizing disturbances to the freshly applied ink.