Optical sensor apparatus and method for sensing ink errors in optical disk manufacturing
AssigneeThomson Licensing
InventorsJose Bravo, Jesus Pacheco
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus, system and method for detecting ink errors in optical disk printing are provided. The apparatus, system and method include a sensor mount structure and a plurality of optical sensors mounted on the mount structure and in registration with a print table. A controller selectively activates the optical sensors in accordance with a relative motion between the optical sensors and the printing station such that the optical sensors each scan an assigned region of the print table to detect ink outside of an area where an object to be printed is placed.
Claims19
An apparatus for detecting ink defects in a printing station during a printing process of an object, comprising:
- a plurality of spaced apart optical sensors mounted in registration with a printing area of said printing station;
- and
- a controller which selectively activates said optical sensors in accordance with a relative motion between said optical sensors and said printing station such that said optical sensors each scan an assigned region of said printing area to detect ink outside of an area where said object to be printed is placed.
A system for detecting ink defects in an optical disk printing process, comprising:
- a printing machine for applying ink to optical disks, the printing machine including a print table;
- a sensor mount structure disposed over the print table;
- a plurality of optical sensors mounted on the mount and in registration with said printing table;
- and
- a controller which selectively activates said optical sensors in accordance with a relative motion between said optical sensors and said printing table such that said optical sensors each scan an assigned region of said printing table to detect ink outside of an area where said optical disks to be printed are placed.
A method for detecting ink defects in an object printing process, comprising the steps of:
- selectively activating optical sensors in an array of optical sensors disposed over a print table in accordance with a relative motion between the array of optical sensors and the print table such that the optical sensors each scan an assigned region of the print table to detect ink outside of an area where said object to be printed is placed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.