Thermal ink transfer decorating apparatus
US5650037A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 13, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jul 22, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 13, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T156/1771
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
In a thermal ink transfer machine, the web is drawn translationally through a station at which thermal ink graphics are transferred from the web to the periphery of a container such as a glass or plastic bottle or can. Transfer of the graphics is effected with a transfer head or cylinder which has arranged about its axis of rotation a plurality of equally spaced apart radially spring biased rollers. When the longitudinally extending graphics on the web enters the transfer station, the spring biased rollers yield radially inwardly and outwardly to press against the backside of the web to effect transfer of the graphics. The apparatus has the rotating transfer head on one side of the web and the containers carried on a turntable on the opposite side of the web. The transfer head rotates in a particular direction around its vertical axis and drives the rollers orbitally toward and away from the graphics transfer station. The containers are supported on rotationally driven disks that are equally spaced apart on the turntable and bring the periphery of the containers into alignment with one of the spring biased rollers when graphics transfer is initiated where the leading end of the gra…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.