Off-radial-axis circular printing device and methods

US7748807B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Elesys, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Randy Jones · Sunnyvale, US
• Carl Youngberg · Mapleton, US
• Clayton G. Gardner · Alamo, US
• Robert Struk · Sunnyvale, US
• Thomas J. Lugaresi · Campbell, US
• Michael Thompson · Xenia, US
• George Bradshaw · Palo Alto, US
• James Charles Brick · Sunnyvale, US
• Jan Unter · Alamo, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 21, 2006
• Grant date: Jul 6, 2010
• Expiry date: Feb 21, 2026

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B41J3/4071
• WIPO field: Textile and paper machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Method and apparatus for printing onto a rotating media is described. According to one embodiment, the printing system includes a print head that is laterally displaced from a radial printing radius, a rotating mechanism to rotate the media, and a controller to print onto an annular print area. The annular print area is defined by an inner hub circumference, two lines substantially parallel to the radial printing radius and tangential to the inner hub circumference, and an outer edge of the media. The print head moves about the annular print area by one or more motion mechanism and prints images onto the media.