WEST WARWICK, RI - Astro-Med Inc. announced in a Wednesday press release that it was granted a patent relating to electrophotographic color label printing on July 31, 2007 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

US Patent 7,249,903 covers the continuous feeding and printing of rollstock adhesive labels in an electrophotographic (laser or LED) printer. This is the electro-mechanical system that underlies Astro-Med's invention of the QuickLabel Systems brand Vivo! digital color label printing system.

"We invested heavily in research beginning in 2002, and filed our patent application in November of 2004,” Vice President of R&D Michael J. Sullivan said.

“I’m proud that our team of Rhode Island-based engineers is continuing to receive recognition for their unique inventions in the field of color label printing," he added.

"We began shipping the Vivo! in the fall of 2006, and sales of the Vivo! and its related consumables are now returning handsome revenues to support the great investment in R&D,” President and COO Everett V. Pizzuti noted.

“It is satisfying to know that, with this patent, Astro-Med will be assured of many years of exclusivity in our Vivo! printer design, and we hope, of continued market leadership in the short-run, in-house color label printer segment,” he added.

Astro-Med Inc. is a leading manufacturer of high tech specialty printing systems, electronic medical instrumentation, and test and measurement instruments employed around the world in a wide range of industrial, scientific, and medical applications.

source: ag-IP news