Printing apparatus
AssigneeBall Corporation
InventorsJohn D. Efner, Michael Allen Bombulie, Charles Cooper
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A decorator (10) for printing onto cylindrical structures (18) has a plurality of inkers (12). Each inker (12) has a pair of opposing frame plates (40, 48). A printing plate (204) is affixed to a printing plate cylinder (200) carried by a rotational printing plate cylinder shaft (202). The printing plate shaft (202) is disposed between the opposing frame plates (40, 48). A main shaft (38) supports the inker (12) on the decorator (10) such that the pair of opposing frame plates (40, 48) are slidable along a length of the main shaft (38). A lateral adjustment servomotor (220) acts on a corresponding inker (212) to impart a movement by the inker (12) along the length of the main shaft (38).
Claims20
A decorator for printing onto cylindrical structures comprising:
- a plurality of inkers, each inker comprising:
- a pair of opposing frame plates;
- a printing plate affixed to a printing plate cylinder carried by a rotational printing plate cylinder shaft disposed between the opposing frame plates;
- a main shaft supporting the inker on the decorator wherein the pair of opposing frame plates are slidable along a length of the main shaft;
- a plurality of lateral adjustment servomotors, each lateral adjustment servomotor acting on a corresponding inker to impart a movement by the inker on the length of the main shaft in a direction parallel to the length of the main shaft.
A decorator for printing onto cylindrical structures comprising:
- a rotating blanket wheel carrying a transfer blanket;
- a bull gear rotating with the blanket wheel;
- a plurality of inkers, each inker comprising:
- a pair of opposing frame plates;
- a printing plate affixed to a printing plate cylinder;
- a plurality of inker rolls positively driven by a corresponding plurality of inker gears forming a drive train;
- a two-piece shaft comprising a first shaft and a second shaft, the first shaft in operable communication with the drive train and having a central passage passing therethrough and the second shaft rotating within the passage independently of rotation by the first shaft;
- a first gear operably joined to the first shaft and in engagement with the bull gear;
- a second gear operably joined to the first shaft and the drive train,
- wherein rotational motion by the bull gear transfers rotation to the first gear which transfers rotational motion to the second gear, which transfers rotating motion to the plurality of inker gears forming the drive train,
- a plurality of angular adjustment servomotors, each angular adjustment servomotor associated with an inker in the plurality of inkers and operably joined to the second shaft within the first shaft and imparting rotation thereto.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.