Ink replenishing system and method for can decorator
AssigneeStolle Machinery Company, LLC
InventorsIan Kenneth Scholey, Joseph John Allen Maurer, Stephen Dane Christensen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ink replenishment system for a can decorator having a plurality of ink fountains corresponding to a plurality of ink station assemblies includes a robotic arm structured to pick up ink from a selected one of a plurality of ink container and to place the picked up ink into a selected one of the plurality of ink fountains, and a controller structured to control operations of the robotic arm.
Claims20
An ink replenishment system for a can decorator having a plurality of ink fountains corresponding to a plurality of ink station assemblies, the ink replenishment system comprising:
- a robotic arm structured to move between the plurality of ink fountains and a plurality of ink containers, to pick up ink from one of the plurality of ink fountains or ink containers and to place the picked up ink in another one of the plurality of ink fountains or ink containers;
- and
- a controller structured to control operations of the robotic arm.
A method for replenishing ink in a can decorator having a plurality of ink fountains corresponding to a plurality of ink station assemblies, the method comprising:
- controlling a robotic arm to pick up ink from one of the plurality of ink fountains or one of a plurality of ink containers, wherein the robotic arm structured to move between the plurality of ink fountains ink containers;
- controlling the robotic arm to move to another one of the plurality of ink fountains or ink containers;
- and
- controlling the robotic arm to place the picked up ink in the another one of the plurality of ink fountains or ink containers.
A can decorator system comprising:
- a plurality of ink fountains corresponding to a plurality of ink station assemblies;
- a plurality of ink containers;
- a robotic arm structured to move between the plurality of ink fountains and the plurality of ink containers, to pick up ink from one of the plurality of ink fountains or ink containers and to place the picked up ink in another one of the plurality of ink fountains or ink containers;
- and
- a controller structured to control operations of the robotic arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.