# US 2008/0184900 A1 · Apparatus for Printing on the Plant Surface and the Artificial Plant Surface > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0184900 A1 - Document ID: US20080184900A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/814,352 - Filed: 2005-07-14 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2005-01-20 - Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hong Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080184900A1 ## CPC - B44C 5/06: Natural ornaments; Imitations thereof (artificial flowers, fruit, leaves A41G1/00; artificial feathers A41G11/00) - A01G 7/06: Treatment of growing trees or plants, e.g. for preventing decay of wood, for tingeing flowers or wood, for prolonging the life of plants - 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} - B44C: PRODUCING DECORATIVE EFFECTS (processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general B05D; shaping of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29C; printing processes to produce transfer pictures B41M3/12; thermographic duplication or marking methods B41M5/00); MOSAICS; TARSIA WORK (imitation of mosaic or tarsia work patterns B44F11/04); PAPERHANGING {(labels G09F; multi-step processes for making paper labels or tags B31D1/02)} - A01G: HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING (picking of fruits, vegetables, hops or the like A01D46/00; propagating unicellular algae C12N1/12) - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract An apparatus for printing on the plant surface and the artificial plant surface, comprises a housing. A gripping device for holding the plant or artificial plant and a printing unit for printing on its surfaces are disposed in said housing. Said printing unit is connected to a computer which is external or integrated in the housing. The printing unit of the present invention is an ink jetting unit, which can print on the plant surface and the artificial plant surface, especially flower, artificial flower, leaves and the fruit. People can communicate information using these articles, which satisfied the demand. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant, comprising: a housing, a gripping device disposed in the housing for gripping the plant or artificial plant, a printing unit for printing images on the surfaces of plant or artificial plant, a computer device outside connected with or integrated in the housing and connecting the printing unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 1, wherein the printing unit comprises a printing bracket moving longitudinally relative to the gripping device; a printing head is provided on the printing bracket so as to move widthwise relative to the printing bracket. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 2, wherein, the gripping device is fixed on the housing; a bracket drive device is disposed on the housing and is connected with the computer device so as to drive the printing bracket to move longitudinally relative to the gripping device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 3, wherein, the bracket drive device comprises a motor disposed on the housing; a sliding slot is provided on the printing bracket; the motor drives the printing bracket through a transmission device to slide longitudinally relative to the housing; the gripping device is fixed on the housing. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 4, wherein, the transmission device comprises two belt pulleys provided on the housing, two belt pulleys are associated with each other through a belt which is fixed with the printing bracket on a position thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 5, wherein, an aid belt pulley and a second driven belt pulley is provided on the other end of the printing bracket; the active belt pulley is associated with the second driven belt pulley through a second belt which surrounds the aid belt pulley; a part of the second belt between the aid belt pulley and the second driven belt pulley is parallel to a guiding post and is fixed with the end of the printing bracket on a position thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 4, wherein, the belt is a toothed belt, and the belt pulley is a belt pulley with teeth. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 4, wherein, the transmission device is of gear-rack mechanism which comprises a gear driven by the motor and a rack disposed on the printing bracket, so that the motor drives the printing bracket through the gear-rack mechanism to slide longitudinally relative to the housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 4, wherein, the transmission device is of screw-nut mechanism which comprises a screw disposed longitudinally on the housing and rotated under the drive of the motor, and a corresponding nut fixed on the printing bracket, so that the motor drives the printing bracket to slide longitudinally relative to the housing through the screw-nut mechanism. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 4, wherein, the transmission device is of crank-slider mechanism which comprises a sliding slot provided on the housing, a corresponding slider provided or formed on the bottom of the printing bracket, and a crank driven by the motor, provided on the housing and is connected with the printing bracket through a link rod, so that the motor drives the printing bracket to slide longitudinally relative to the housing through the crank-slider mechanism. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 4, wherein, the motor is connected with the transmission device through a speed reducer mechanism. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 2, wherein, the printing bracket is fixed on the housing, a drive device for driving the gripping device is disposed on the housing and is connected with the computer device so as to drive the gripping device to move longitudinally relative to the printing bracket. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 2, wherein, a camera is disposed in the housing so as to provide accurate position of an article to be printed and print preview of the article to the computer device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1, 13) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 1 or claim 13, wherein, the gripping device comprises a supporting bracket, a top cover hinged to the supporting bracket and having an opening for printing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 14, wherein, a holding bracket is disposed at the middle portion of the base; and the height of the holding bracket is adjustable. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 15, wherein, the supporting bracket is “U”-shaped; a top cover is hinged to one side of the supporting bracket through a first torsion spring; an opening is provided on the center of top surface of the top cover; a locking hook is hinged to the other side of the supporting bracket through a second torsion spring; a free end of the top cover has a predetermined pitch and constitutes an impact lock mechanism together with the locking hook; the first torsion spring is arranged to provide the top cover with a tendency of opening; the second torsion spring is arranged to provide the locking hook with a tendency of attaching to the right side of the supporting bracket; the holding bracket is disposed on the bottom of the supporting bracket; the lower part of the holding bracket forms a slim rod; the lower end of the slim rod passes through a corresponding through hole on the bottom of the supporting bracket; the through hole has a diameter slightly larger than that of the slim rod; the end of the slim rod passed through the through hole is provided with a stop ring; a part of the slim rod between the holding bracket and bottom of the supporting bracket is sleeved with a spring. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 1, wherein, the computer device is integrated in the housing and comprises a display module, memory module, input module, and printing module; wherein, a control unit is further arranged to be connected with said modules through a bus; wherein, the control unit at least comprises a programmable logic-controlled integrated circuit and a peripheral matchable circuit; the memory module at least comprises an external memorizer and a connecting interface suitable for the external memorizer; the input module is a touch screen or a set of panel micro switches. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 17, wherein, the programmable logic-controlled integrated circuit is a MCU single-chip microcomputer or a CPLD/FPGA complex programmable logic device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 17, wherein, I/O ports of the programmable logic-controlled integrated circuit are connected with the corresponding ports of the display module, the memory module, the input module, communication module, account module and the printing module through the bus. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 17, wherein, the programmable logic-controlled integrated circuit is connected with communication module, account module and/or extended interfaces through the bus. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 17, wherein, the display module is a liquid crystal display. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 17, wherein, the communication module is a wired network card, a wireless network card, or a modem. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 19, wherein, the account module includes coin machine and control circuit thereof. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 17, wherein, connecting interface for movable memorizer is disposed on the housing and is connected with the computer device so as to connect and read the movable memorizer provided by the user. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 24, wherein, the connecting interface for movable memorizer is a USB interface, IEEE 1394 interface, IrDA infrared interface or RS-232/485 Serial Bus interface. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 25, wherein, the movable memorizer is CF card, SM card, memory rod, movable hard disk, U-disk, CD-ROM, ZIP driver or any other movable data read and memory device. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1, 2, 17) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 1, 2 or 17, wherein, the printing unit is an ink jet printing unit. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1, 2, 17) The apparatus for printing images on surfaces of plant or artificial plant as claim 1, 2 or 17, being used to print images on surfaces of flower, artificial flower, leaf or fruit.