Method and apparatus for registering and maintaining registration of a medium in a content applicator
AssigneeIntermec IP Corp.
InventorsKathy McCready, Kevin Conwell, Xiaonong Qian
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A content applicator receives a continuous medium and applies content to segments of the continuous medium. The content applicator includes a sensor array, a controller subsystem, and a print station. The sensor array scans the continuous medium as the continuous medium moves along a medium transport pathway. The controller subsystems receives scan information from the sensor array and uses the scan information to establish and maintain registration between the continuous medium and the print station.
Claims34
A content applicator for applying content to a continuous medium, the content applicator comprising:
- a print station having a print head disposed proximal to a medium transport pathway for having the continuous medium pass therethrough, the print head configured to print on the continuous medium;
- an array of electromagnetic sensors disposed proximal to the medium transport pathway configured to scan a portion of the continuous medium;
- a controller subsystem in communication with the electromagnetic sensors and configured to determine a speed for the scanned portion of the continuous medium, wherein the controller subsystem adjusts the speed of the continuous medium to maintain registration of the continuous medium with the print station.
A method of controlling a content applicator, the method comprising:
- receiving a first set of scan information from a scan of a portion of a label in a continuous medium received by the content applicator, the continuous medium having a number of labels;
- determining a scan location by comparing the first set of scan information to a reference scan profile, the reference scan profile corresponding to a scan of a given label;
- and
- changing a rate at which the continuous medium moves through a print station of the content applicator based upon the determined scan location.
A content applicator for applying content to a continuous medium, the content applicator comprising:
- a print station having a print head disposed proximal to a medium transport pathway for having the continuous medium pass therethrough, the print head configured to print on the continuous medium;
- an array of electromagnetic sensors disposed proximal to the medium transport pathway configured to scan a portion of the continuous medium;
- a controller subsystem in communication with the electromagnetic sensors and configured to determine at least a portion of a first profile for a label included in the scanned portion of the continuous medium and to use at least the portion of the profile to maintain registration of the continuous medium with the print station.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.