Patent · US Expired

Apparatus for printing on plastic tubing

US4906170A · kind A · utility

21Cited by
12References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 16, 1988
Grant dateMar 6, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 16, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB41J3/4073
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus is presented for printing material on an extruded plastic tubing. An extruder forms the plastic tubing of the desired diameter and thickness. The tubing is then drawn through a cooling bath by a pulling mechanism, and cut into desired lengths. The tubing may be dried after the cooling process, and an ink jet printer is utilized to print on the tubing as it is being drawn to be cut. A computer controls the printing process in correlation with the tubing cutter to provide a print signal to the printer in accordance with the desired lengths of tubing. The print heads of the printer are also three-dimensionally adjustable so as to center the printed material on the desired size and length of tubing to be cut.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.