# US 10,245,844 B2 · Object holder for a direct-to-object printer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,245,844 B2 - Document ID: US10245844B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/477,198 - Filed: 2017-04-03 - Published: 2018-10-04 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2017-04-03 - Assignees: Xerox Corporation - Applicants: Xerox Corporation - Inventors: Annie Liu; Christopher Douglas Atwood; Kelly Burton; Elizabeth M. Crossen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245844B2 ## CPC - B41J 3/4073: {Printing on three-dimensional objects not being in sheet or web form, e.g. spherical or cubic objects (B41J3/283, B41J3/286 take precedence; building up a 3D object using individual droplets from jetting heads B29C64/112)} - B41J 3/40731: {Holders for objects, e. g. holders specially adapted to the shape of the object to be printed or adapted to hold several objects} - B41M 1/40: Printing on bodies of particular shapes, e.g. golf balls, candles, wine corks {(sublimation or volatilisation of pre-printed design B41M5/035)} - B41M 5/0088: {by ink-jet printing} - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - B41M: PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING, (correction of typographical errors B41J; processes for applying transfer pictures or the like B44C1/16; fluid media for correction of typographical errors by coating C09D10/00; printing textiles D06P) ## Abstract What is disclosed is an object holder for securely retaining a 3-dimensional object while it is being printed in a direct-to-object print system and a direct-to-object print system configured to use various embodiments of the object holder of the present invention. In one embodiment, the object holder comprises a frame configured to slideably traverse a support member positioned parallel to a plane formed by at least one printhead configured to eject marking material on to a surface of an object. A flexible belt is positioned around an inside of the frame to form a circle. One end of the belt is fixed to the frame. An opposite end of the belt passes through an opening in a side of the frame. Pulling the belt through the opening tightens the belt encircled around the object in the frame. A lock prevents the belt from loosening after it has been pulled tight. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An object holder for retaining an object in a direct-to-object print system, the object holder comprising: a frame configured to slideably traverse a support member positioned parallel to a plane formed by at least one printhead of a direct-to-object print system; a flexible belt positioned around an inside of the frame substantially forming a circle, one end of the belt being fixed to the frame, an opposite end of the belt passing through an opening in the frame such that pulling the end of the belt through the opening causes the belt to tighten circumferentially around an object in the frame; and a lock for engaging the belt to prevent the belt from loosening after the belt has been pulled tight around the object. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The object holder of claim 1, wherein at least one side of the belt is toothed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The object holder of claim 1, wherein the frame has at least one biasing member fixed to an inside the frame, the biasing member pressing the belt inwardly toward a middle of the frame to reduce a radius of the circle formed by the belt. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The object holder of claim 3, wherein the biasing member is further configured with a guide which helps keep the belt from slipping off a face of the biasing member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The object holder of claim 3, wherein the biasing member is a roller. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The object holder of claim 1, wherein the lock further comprises a slideably retractable locking pin which presses against a surface of the belt to prevent the belt from loosening. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The object holder of claim 1, wherein the lock has a releasable latch for securing the lock once the belt is tight. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The object holder of claim 1, wherein the frame is attached to a shuttle mount which slideably traverses the support member. ### Claim 9 A print system for printing on a surface of an object, the print system comprising: at least one printhead configured to eject marking material on to a surface of an object; a support member positioned parallel to a plane formed by the printhead; an object holder comprising: a frame configured to slideably traverse the support member; a flexible belt positioned around an inside of the frame to form a circle, one end of the belt being fixed to the frame, an opposite end of the belt passing through an opening in a side of the frame such that pulling the end of the belt through the opening causes the belt to tighten circumferentially around an object in the frame; and a lock for preventing the belt from loosening after the belt has been pulled tight around the object; and a controller configured to cause the printhead to eject marking material onto the object held by the object holder as the object passes the printhead. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The print system of claim 9, further comprising an actuator for operatively causing the object holder to slideably traverse the support member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The print system of claim 10, further comprising a belt that contacts pulleys, one of the pulleys being operatively connected to the actuator which causes the pulley to move the belt about the pulleys and move the object holder past the printhead. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The print system of claim 11, wherein the belt is entrained about the pulleys to form an endless belt, further comprising an additional pulley that engages the endless belt to enable the additional pulley to rotate in response to a movement of the endless belt to move the object holder. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The print system of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to: receive the identifier from the input device; compare the identifier to identifiers stored in a memory; and disable operation of the printhead in response to the identifier failing to correspond to any of the identifiers stored in memory. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The print system of claim 9, wherein the support member is oriented to enable one end of the support member to be at a higher gravitational potential than another end of the support member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The print system of claim 9, wherein at least one side of the belt is toothed. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The print system of claim 9, wherein the frame has at least one biasing member fixed to an inside the frame, the biasing member pressing the belt inwardly toward a middle of the frame to reduce a radius of the circle formed by the belt. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The print system of claim 16, wherein the biasing member is further configured with a guide which helps keep the belt from slipping off a face of the biasing member. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The print system of claim 16, wherein the biasing member is a roller. ### Claim 19 (depends on 9) The print system of claim 9, wherein the lock further comprises a slideably retractable locking pin which presses against a surface of the belt to prevent the belt from loosening. ### Claim 20 (depends on 9) The print system of claim 9, wherein the lock has a releasable latch for securing the lock once the belt is tight. ### Claim 21 (depends on 9) The print system of claim 9, wherein the frame is attached to a shuttle mount which slideably traverses the support member. ### Claim 22 (depends on 9) The print system of claim 9, further comprising an identification tag and an input device. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The print system of claim 22, wherein the identification tag comprises any of: a RFID tag containing an identifier and the input device is a RFID reader, a barcode containing an identifier and the input device is a barcode reader, and at least one mechanical feature and the input device is a biased arm that follows the mechanical features and converts a position of the arm into an electrical signal comprising an identifier. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The print system of claim 22, wherein the controller is further configured to: receive the identifier from the input device; compare the identifier to at least one identifier stored in a memory; and disable the actuator in response to the identifier failing to correspond to any of the identifiers stored in memory. ### Claim 25 (depends on 9) The print system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to operate a user interface. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The print system of claim 25, wherein the controller is further configured to: detect a configuration of the printhead and ink supplied to the printhead; and communicate a message to the user interface, the message being any of: that ink needs to be changed, and that the printhead needs to be reconfigured. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The print system of claim 25, wherein the user interface comprises: a display, a user input device, and an annunciator for emitting an audible sound. ### Claim 28 (depends on 9) The print system of claim 9, further comprising a sensor positioned to generate image data from one of: the object holder, the object, and a sheet of printed media, the controller being configured to receive the image data from the sensor and analyze the image data to identify any of: printhead alignment, image quality, and inoperative ejectors.