US 12,545,022 B2Granted

Magnetic encoder position sensor for remotely adjusting registration or print pressure of a can decorator

AssigneeStolle Machinery Company, LLC

InventorFazal Rehman

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Abstract

A remote registration and print pressure adjustment system includes a can decorator including a plurality of plate cylinders and a plurality of inking stations, each plate cylinder being associated with an individual inking station; a magnetic encoder position sensor disposed in proximity to a rotatory component of the can decorator and structured to detect rotational position parameters of the rotatory component; and a remote registration and print pressure control system structured to receive a position signal including the rotational position parameters from the magnetic encoder position sensor, determine the linear distance based on the position signal and instant position of one of the registration mechanism and the print pressure adjustment mechanism based on the determined linear distance, and cause a corresponding actuator of the rotatory component to adjust the rotational positional parameters based on the instant position of one of the registration mechanism and the print pressure adjustment mechanism.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A remote registration and print pressure adjustment system for a can decorator having a blanket wheel, an inking station, a plate cylinder associated with the inking station and structured to engage the blanket wheel, and a printing plate cylinder drive shaft whose rotation causes rotation of the plate cylinder, the system comprising:

a printing plate cylinder adjustment mechanism including:
an actuator;
a worm gear structured to rotate in response to operation of the actuator;
an eccentric pivot structured to rotate in response rotation of the worm gear;
an eccentric bushing disposed around the printing plate cylinder drive shaft, wherein rotation of the eccentric bushing causes the plate cylinder to move closer or further from the blanket wheel;
and
an elongated member coupled between the eccentric pivot and the eccentric bushing and operable to move linearly and rotate the eccentric bushing in response to rotation of the eccentric pivot;
a magnetic encoder position sensor disposed in proximity to the worm gear and structured to detect angular information of rotation of the worm gear and to output a position signal including the angular information;
and
a remote registration and print pressure control system communicatively coupled to the magnetic encoder position sensor, the remote registration and print pressure control system being structured to receive the position signal from the magnetic encoder position sensor and to determine a print pressure of the plate cylinder against the blanket wheel from the angular information of rotation of the worm gear.

7 more elements

A method of remotely adjusting registration for a can decorator having a blanket wheel, an inking station, a plate cylinder associated with the inking station and structured engage the blanket wheel, and a printing plate cylinder drive shaft whose rotation causes rotation of the cylinder, the method comprising:

providing a remote registration adjustment system that comprises:
(i) a printing plate cylinder mechanism including:
an actuator;
a worm gear structured to rotate in response to operation of the actuator;
an eccentric pivot structured to rotate in response to rotation of the worm gear;
an eccentric bushing disposed around the printing plate cylinder drive shaft, wherein rotation of the eccentric bushing causes the plate cylinder to move closer or further from the blanket wheel;
and an elongated member coupled between the eccentric pivot and the eccentric bushing and operable to move linearly and rotate the eccentric bushing in response to rotation of the eccentric pivot;
(ii) a magnetic encoder position sensor disposed in proximity to the worm gear and structured to detect angular information of rotation of the worm gear and output a position signal including the angular information;
and
(iii) a remote registration and print pressure control system communicatively coupled to the magnetic encoder position sensor, the remote registration and print pressure control system being structured to receive the position signal from the magnetic encoder position sensor and to determine a print pressure of the plate cylinder against the blanket wheel from the angular information of rotation of the worm gear;
detecting, by the magnetic encoder position sensor, the angular information of rotation of the worm gear;
receiving, by the remote registration and print pressure control system, the position signal from the magnetic encoder position sensor;
and
determining, by the remote registration and print pressure control system, the print pressure of the plate cylinder against the blanket wheel from the angular information of rotation of the worm gear.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/897,464Filed 26 Sep 2024 · us provisional application
Priority: 16 Feb 2024
Published: US 2025/0262852 A121 Aug 2025
Granted: 10 Feb 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

B41F 33/0009
Indicating, counting, warning, control or safety devices: central control units
B41F 17/002
Printing apparatus or machines of special types or for particular purposes, not otherwise provided for: supports of workpieces in machines for…
B41F 17/22
On articles of uniform cross-section, e.g. pencils, rulers, resistors: by rolling contact
B41F 33/02
Indicating, counting, warning, control or safety devices: arrangements of indicating devices, e.g. counters